NHL research camp underway
Perhaps more so than any other league in North America, the National Hockey League is committed to creating a more exciting game through rule changes.
Since the 2004-05 lock-out the NHL has undergone a makeover, which has resulted in a return to a more free-flowing, high-scoring, exciting brand of hockey. Much of this can be attributed to continued research into rule changes and in game advancements.
This week’s research camp is a testament to that commitment to change and positive growth within the sport. A collection of veteran general managers, coaches, and executives are in Toronto on Wednesday and Thursday to watch several proposed rule changes in effect.
The 33-top ranked junior players are taking part in two days of drills and scrimmages led by coaches Ken Hitchcock and Dave King. The juniors will be the first, and perhaps the only players to play with these rules in effect.
The NHL is testing out 10 different rule changes this year. One of which is having three faceoff dots in the each zone, one located in the middle of the ice. They are also testing a rule that sees the whistle start play rather than a puck drop, and a rule that will see a player forced to move back a foot if they commit a faceoff infraction. In addition, they are also trying out having a second referee located off ice, not allowing line changes on off-sides, a different form of overtime, which removes a player every three minutes, and narrowing the shallowness of the net. However, perhaps the most intriguing rule and the one most likely to be implemented in the near future, is a hybrid version of icing.
The new rule combines both touch and no-touch icing, allowing the referees to blow the whistle before the defender touches the puck, if they believe it may result in an injury.
The current icing rule in the NHL has come under fire, as many players have been seriously injured chasing down a puck on icing calls. The most recent example of this was Kurtis Foster missing out on the entire 2008-09 season after suffering a broken leg on such a play.
Hitchcock says that the new rule has been working well and could help to prevent several injuries. Speaking of the Foster injury he stated, “There’s no worse feeling than what happened to a guy like Kurtis Foster, there’s no worse feeling than to see something where a guy’s out for a long period of time and he didn’t have to go out.”
The new rule was displayed in both the morning and the afternoon sessions and is starting to generate support around the NHL. This could be attributed to the United States Hockey League’s recent adoption of the rule, and their satisfaction with the change.
Buffalo Sabres general manager Darcy Regier threw his support behind the possible change. “I think the icing rule (is good) because of the risk involved for players. It’s proven to be very effective, I think in the USHL. It’s got a good track record and it’s preventative.”
The camp was organized and run by Detroit Red Wings vice-president Brendan Shanahan who was formerly the head of the league’s competition committee.
Although it is highly unlikely that any of these rules will be ready to implement in time for the regular season in October, fans may be able to catch a glimpse in the American Hockey League, which is generally used as a testing ground for new rules before they make the jump to the NHL.
Regardless of the outcome of the camp the NHL has once again proved to be the most progressive North American league. They've come under fire in the past for changing the rules too often and alienating fans as well as received praise for making the game more fast-paced. But it's clear that once again they're looking to alter the game slightly to try and draw in more fans and wallets.
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