Playing By The Rules

The NHL is tweaking some of the rules for the upcoming season and this blog post is your little cheat sheet to learn about them. 

Okay so there are a couple changes that are just minor changes to the rink, such as "Rule 1.8- Rink-Goalkeeper's Restricted Area: The trapezoid (behind the net) will be extended two feet from the goal posts on both sides of the net."

"Rule 1.9- Rink- Face-off Spots and Circles- Ice Markings/Hash Marks: The hash marks at the end zone circles will be five feet apart from each other instead of the former three feet." These are the same measurements used in international play. 

Other rule changes such as "Rule 38- Video Goal Judge: Modified to allow broader discretion to Hockey Operations to assist the referees in determining the legitimacy of all potential goals," which just means that they will (hopefully) get better at determining the difference between "no goal" and "goal" when the whistle is blown on goal plays. They also are requiring more demonstrable video evidence of a "distinct kicking motion" for kicked in goals. 

"Rule 57- Tripping: Revised to specifically provide that a two minute minor penalty will be assessed when a defending player "dives" and trips an attacking player with his body/arm/shoulder, regardless of whether the defending player is able to make initial contact with the puck." In other words we will never see penalty shots again, players will just get a two minute minor. 

But don't be too upset because even if there were penalty shots they would not be very fun thanks to the change to "Rule 24- Penalty Shot: The 'Spin-O-Rama' move, as described in Section 24.2 of the 2013-14 NHL Rule Book, will no longer be permitted either in Penalty Shot situations or in the Shootout."

COME ON PEOPLE!! 

Why don't you just suck all the fun out NHL!

Anyway, moving on. "Rule 84- Overtime: Teams will switch ends prior to the start of overtime in the regular season. The entire ice surface will undergo a "dry scrape" prior to the start of overtime in the regular season. The procedure requiring the head coach to submit a list of the first three shooters in the shoot-out has been eliminated." (The last one I like!) Now shoot-outs are going to be like... 

The next rule change is going to effect the Habs a bit, "Rule 64- Diving/Embellishment: Revised to bring attention to and more seriously penalize players (and teams) who repeatedly dive and embellish in an attempt to draw penalties. Fines will be assessed to players and head coaches on a graduated scale outlined below."

I love the fact that they are fining the coaches too! Bravo NHL! 

"Rule 85- Puck Out of Bounds: Shots at the net by a player on the attacking team where: (i) the shot breaks the glass; (ii) the shot goes off the side of the net and deflects out of play; (iii) the shot goes off the dasher boards or glass and deflects out of play; (iv) the shot is tipped or deflected out of play by a teammate; and (v) the shot becomes wedged in or on the exterior of the goal net, face-offs will remain in the attacking zone despite the fact that the attacking team was technically responsible for the stoppage in play. "

"Rule 76- Face-offs: To curb delay tactics on face-offs after icing infractions, in situations where the defending team is guilty of a face-off violation, following an icing, the defending player who is initially lined up for the face-off will be given a warning, but will be required to remain in the circle to take the face-off. A second face-off violation by the defending team in such situation will result in a two minute minor bench penalty." Wow now! Players get kicked out of face-offs left and right! I know this is them trying to make cleaner face-offs, but I have a feeling it's just going to be penalties left and right! I don't know how I feel about this rule change, I guess I'll have to see how the players handle it. 

Last but not least, "Rule 23- Game Misconduct Penalties: Clipping, charging, elbowing, interference, kneeing, head-butting and butt-ending move from the general category into the same category as boarding and checking from behind ("Physical Fouls"), whereby a player who incurs two such game misconducts in this category would now be automatically suspended for one game." So now clipping, charging, elbowing, interference, kneeing, head-butting and butt-ending are as severe as boarding. This is probably necessary with all the concussions in the league right now, but some people will argue that this is just the league softening the game. Soon they're just going to make a "no fighting" rule. That would send the fan base into a frenzy. 

Now who doesn't want to see a knock out punch on Matt Cooke?? At least he applied ice to it immediately... ba dum tss

Well that's all I got folks! Let me know what you think about the new rule changes in the comments!