We got some minor changes to the rulebook coming out of yesterday's Board of Governors meeting. Gross misconducts have been eliminated, al faceoffs must take place on one of the nine designated dots, and refs can now call a penalty shot if the infraction takes place in the neutral zone, not just the offensive zone.
Nice tweaks all, and learn to live with little adjustments like these in every offseason until the end of time. It's the NFL model of competition, and it works.
And then there's one more change that I really like. From the Canadian Press:
The interference rule was altered so referees can at their discretion assess a major penalty and a game misconduct when an injury results from an act of interference. Previously, only a minor penalty could be assessed for interference.
I'll dub this the "Chris Neil" rule.
If you choose to disrespect the game, the game will disrespect you.
Alternatively, you could call it the Chris “please-do-not-finish-your-check-because-I’m-admiring-my-pass” Drury rule.
Can the NHL get any cheesier? Seriously? They are trying to change this into a family game and it is NOT.
Yeah, no more gross misconducts… but more game misconducts and they will suspend players more because of it. Just what we want, the discretion in the hands of that dope, Colin Campbell.
Tack on neutral zone penalty shot calls? Are you kidding me? Once again, the NHL thinks the end all to their problems is more goal scoring… it’s NOT! And more discretion in the hands of the refs? Beauty… really smart!
And the one rule that everyone was excited about, they voted down… the five instigator rule. They BOGs didn’t agree with the GMs and they shot it down. The Blackhawks even proposed getting rid of completely!
The NHL, once again, has missed the boat. I’m not shocked one bit.
Heh, I hadn’t even thought of Neil. (I guess I can be bought by a brawl.) I thought of Janssen, Torres, and Armstrong, but not Neil. In either case, I think I can see where this comes from, as a way of addressing headshots without an explicit penalty for it, and while it sounds silly, it’s likely the best way to handle things.
Since we’re on the subject, any thoughts on the UHL/IHL’s rule changes (linked on Kukla’s)? I like all of them, personally, though the diving one in particular is one the NHL needed five years ago.
Heh, I hadn’t even thought of Neil. (I guess I can be bought by a brawl.) I thought of Janssen, Torres, and Armstrong, but not Neil. In either case, I think I can see where this comes from, as a way of addressing headshots without an explicit penalty for it, and while it sounds silly, it’s likely the best way to handle things.
Since we’re on the subject, any thoughts on the UHL/IHL’s rule changes (linked on Kukla’s)? I like all of them, personally, though the diving one in particular is one the NHL needed five years ago.