Proposal: How to Fix the NHL

[Ogrezilla]

I don't think so, but I'm not 100%

I am almost positive that any new players entering the league since the recent lockout has to wear a visor.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=672983

http://www.csnne.com/blog/bruins-talk/nhl-notes-questions-about-mandatory-visor-rule

 

[Shady Machine]

I don't think so, but I'm not 100%

Yes all new players entering the league must wear a visor.

http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2013/06/04/nhl-makes-visors-mandatory-for-new-players/

 

[Winger for Hire]

Yes all new players entering the league must wear a visor.

I am almost positive that any new players entering the league since the recent lockout has to wear a visor.

Like I said, not 100%

Now that I see the press releases, I remember that happening and having a discussion with a guy on my dek hockey team who thought that was a stupid change. Right before a game where I took a shot off my visor.

 

[Winger for Hire]

I can only talk about the DEL and EBEL (Austria). Well, for starters hockey in those two leagues isn't nearly as physical as in North America, so you rarely get any headshots or boardings that could result in a major penalty. Make up calls are not as common and/or blatant as they are in the NHL, but they do happen. They usuallly don't put the whistles away in close games or playoff games, but they can be pretty inconsistent at times.

A few years back the EBEL finally decided to have 2 head referees on the ice (thanks to some retired NHL referee and Pierre Page who really ripped into them) so that improved things a lot.

Thanks for the info.

I was wondering if this was a hockey as a sport problem or an NHL/North American problem. I understand that the leagues are different in terms of skill and physicality, but in general I was wondering how closely the officiating was.

 

[Pens17]

i would just be more diligently follow the current rulebook. call the games like they did coming out of the lockout.

in any case, pens need to start playing the game on how it is currently played, rather than assembling a team based on how management/ownership thinks it ought to be played.

that kind of mindset screwed the pens in the 90s and is currently screwing them again.

i also think its interesting that many/most current nhl fans league-wide dont see a problem with how the game is played. seems like pens fans are particularly sensitive to this issue, perhaps because the penguins refuse to adapt. perhaps the league isnt the problem, but instead the organization.

Are you saying that Le Grande Obstructionique is hindering our progress?

 

[Frederick Stanley]

Thanks for the info.

I was wondering if this was a hockey as a sport problem or an NHL/North American problem. I understand that the leagues are different in terms of skill and physicality, but in general I was wondering how closely the officiating was.

Generally I'd say the officiating is a lot more pedantic than in NA and that this whole "no whistles in the playoffs" is a NA thing, I guess it's somehow etched in the minds of the NA refs that the playoffs shoud be officiated differently than the regular season, because that's how it's always been.

 

[Ragamuffin Gunner]

The media thread was getting bogged down with ideas to fix the NHL. I figured it needed it's own thread since it seems to be attracting some discussion.

Ideas so far include:

-Bigger nets (2x2 or 2x1 bigger)
-Stricter regulations on goalie equipment
-Crackdown (again) on obstruction
-Bigger rink size
-De-weponize player's equipment (elbow/shoulder pads)

No
No
Yes
No
Yes

 

[Winger for Hire]

Generally I'd say the officiating is a lot more pedantic than in NA and that this whole "no whistles in the playoffs" is a NA thing, I guess it's somehow etched in the minds of the NA refs that the playoffs shoud be officiated differently than the regular season, because that's how it's always been.

I really wish this would go away. It makes no sense to basically change the rules once the games really matter.

 

[insomniac]

Reduce roster size. Game-day bench of 17 - 9 forwards, 6 defencemen, 2 goalies. Increases talent and likely forces longer shifts. Of course the PA won't go for it, UNLESS the change comes in tandem with an expansion, so no jobs are technically lost.

 

[Mr Wu]

The bigger problem is how teams defend. It is now commonplace for teams to collapse in the middle and block everything they can. It's tough to get shots through to the goalie. I don't really know how you can fix that.

Winner. Biggest problem for sure (along with huge goalies).

Doesn't basketball have some kind of rule where defensive players can only stand in the main defensive area for x number of seconds at a time? Or is that for offense? I have no idea. But, what about a similar rule for around the net and into the slot to prevent defenders from camping out?

 

[Winger for Hire]

Winner. Biggest problem for sure (along with huge goalies).

Doesn't basketball have some kind of rule where defensive players can only stand in the main defensive area for x number of seconds at a time? What about a similar area/rule for around the net and into the slot to prevent defenders from camping out?

That would entail painting a "box" or some kind of area on the ice and having a referee dedicated to keep a 5 second count. The refs have enough to worry about, I can't see them keep this straight. Plus you could have a forward camped in front of the crease with impunity.

And now that I think of it, the "5 second rule" in basketball is for offense. So I really don't see it translating to defense. I think the NBA did outlaw a zone defense, but they might have abolished that rule lately, or at least relaxed on it some.

 

[Frederick Stanley]

If you make the ice bigger, more shooting lanes will open up.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Not disagreeing with the concept, but wouldn't you need, on average, 5 more penalties/game to get one additional PP goal (assuming a 20% conversion rate on PP)? That would be a significant shift from the current practice.

Agree with all of the other posters on enforcing the current rules as written from start to finish of game, eliminating the embellishment call (it's not a big deal, but it's just another tool to keep things even in the third period), cut down on size of goalie equipment a little, hold referees accountable in some way.

One more PP opportunity per game in the heyday of the craaaaaaaaaaaazy 90's scoring.

Opportunity.

Not goal.

One more.

Per game.

That is all.

 

[Al Smith]

Winner. Biggest problem for sure (along with huge goalies).

Doesn't basketball have some kind of rule where defensive players can only stand in the main defensive area for x number of seconds at a time? Or is that for offense? I have no idea. But, what about a similar rule for around the net and into the slot to prevent defenders from camping out?

In basketball, the offense can't park in the lane.

If hockey applied that rule to defense, wouldn't the offense then park there? If neither team could, then scoring could go down even further with goalies being able to track shots more easily without all the bodies.

You could apply exiisting rules re interference, cross-checking, holding, etc. to the bodies that are in front of the net like they did for a month or so after the last lockout. But refs got tired of calling so many penalties, and it's slowly gotten back to the way it was (especially in the playoffs).

 

[Coastal Kev]

More consistent refs, Olympic size rinks, fire bomb the entire Flyers organization.

Actually it was first the Devils and then the Florida Panthers success in the 90's that lead to the destruction of the NHL. Florida went to the cup with Scott Melanby as their best forward. All they did was hold, clutch and collapse against the Pens, sickening to watch. And it's what's we have now, which is boring............. BLAAAAAAAA

 

[Mr Wu]

That would entail painting a "box" or some kind of area on the ice and having a referee dedicated to keep a 5 second count. The refs have enough to worry about, I can't see them keep this straight. Plus you could have a forward camped in front of the crease with impunity.

Agreed, I always thought the rule was silly and hard to monitor for both refs and fans.

Just saying, desperate times, desperate measures.

This happened due to over-coaching, you need to make a change that can't be coached out again.

 

[Ogrezilla]

If you make the ice bigger, more shooting lanes will open up.

It would give better shooting lanes to teams who spread out their defense. It wouldn't change anything for collapsing defenses. As long as the goal isn't bigger, the defense wouldn't need to collapse any differently than they do now. It would just force teams to stop playing aggressively on defense and every team would play a passive collapse defense.

 

[Ogrezilla]

One more PP opportunity per game in the heyday of the craaaaaaaaaaaazy 90's scoring.

Opportunity.

Not goal.

One more.

Per game.

That is all.

Its not just because they had one more powerplay though. Adding one more powerplay per game would not solve the current problem assuming the actual 5v5 play stayed the same. They would need to start calling things consistently so that the players actually figured out the rules and played by them. If they still let things go all night long but randomly called 4 of the 30 infractions instead of 3, you would not see much of a difference. The 26 uncalled instances of obstruction are affecting the quality of the game far more than that 1 powerplay opportunity would.

 

[eXile59]

Do what the NFL did & starting calling the obstruction penalties that hold back talented players.

Making the goalies make saves with smaller equipment would also help.

Not much you can do about the collapsing around the net but the increase an penalties & decrease in obstruction would do wonders for scoring.

 

[Ogrezilla]

increasing net size would do just as much as decreasing goalie equipment size without anyone being able to argue about safety, AND it would help with the issue of blocked shots and collapsing defenses.

 

[billybudd]

In basketball, the offense can't park in the lane.

If hockey applied that rule to defense, wouldn't the offense then park there? If neither team could, then scoring could go down even further with goalies being able to track shots more easily without all the bodies.

You could apply exiisting rules re interference, cross-checking, holding, etc. to the bodies that are in front of the net like they did for a month or so after the last lockout. But refs got tired of calling so many penalties, and it's slowly gotten back to the way it was (especially in the playoffs).

It's not them. Read that link I posted earlier (which is from a wrongful termination suit). Campbell rode the director of officiating until the referees stopped calling those types of penalties. The referee who sued the NHL (Dean Warren) alleged that the league fired him for calling the rulebook as written, which the emails support.

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

European and Olympic hockey is really slow and boring compared to the NHL; even in its current state.

That's because the vast majority of the extra ice in an olympic sized rink is in the neutral zone. The offensive zones are no bigger so it doesn't help offense. In theory the nhl could go to bigger rinks that have more space in the offensive zones and it could increase scoring. It's moot anyway because it will never happen.

 

[Ogrezilla]

That's because the vast majority of the extra ice in an olympic sized rink is in the neutral zone. The offensive zones are no bigger so it doesn't help offense. In theory the nhl could go to bigger rinks that have more space in the offensive zones and it could increase scoring. It's moot anyway because it will never happen.

I really don't think wider offensive zones would increase scoring. It does nothing but add space that nobody is going to be scoring from. I honestly think it may make things worse because more teams would play a more passive collapsing defense.

 

[PensPlz]

Step 1: Call obstruction by the book.
Step 2: Call every penalty regardless of the circumstances of the game.

Refs calling penalties differently in first or the third, calling them differently in the regular season or playoffs, calling them differently based on who did what to who, making sure each team has equal powerplay time, ect..... THAT stuff needs to stop. Take the power away from the refs to decide out comes of games. If a ref sees a penalty, then they have to call it. Plain and simple. Fire them if they fail to do this ONE simple task.

If it results in too many powerplays being awarded, then players will adjust their game to compensate. Players will adjust to avoid taking penalties knowing they can no longer get away with certain things in certain situations. Scoring will increase when illegal-obstruction decreases.

 

[Pens1566]

Lets be honest, goalie equipment size (at least the increase) is not related to safety. It's about taking up space.