NHL’s rule book is due for an annual checkup
General managers meeting to discuss how new standards look after a quarter-season
When the NHL decided to crack down on slashing this year, it likely didn’t have the golf-swingtype slash that Buffalo’s Marco Scandella unleashed on Pittsburgh’s Patric Hornqvist’s ankle in mind.
That vicious slash, which earned the Sabres defenceman a maximum $5,000 fine, would have been a penalty in the 1970s.
While injuries to Johnny Gaudreau and Marc Methot last year prompted the league to take a firmer stance on how players were reckless using their sticks, it’s been the minor slashes that have received the most attention so far this season. Forget about the two-handed whacks across the ankles, even the mildest love tap now leads to a trip to the penalty box.
Slashing is by far the mostcalled of the 10 minor penalty infractions. Heading into Thursday’s games, there were 433 slashing penalties. That was 112 more penalties than tripping.
As a result, the average number of power plays in a game has increased from 2.99 per team last season to 3.51 after six weeks. More power-play opportunities equal more offensive opportunities, which could explain why scoring has also increased from 2.77 to 3.04.
“The game is getting faster and the rules are trending towards players who play with skill and speed,” Arizona Coyotes general manager John Chayka said. “I think it’s good for the game. It just goes to show that in order to defend, you have to do so with your feet at this level.”
Is the league going too far, or should it go even further?
That’s just one of the questions that will be asked during the annual GM meetings Friday. This year’s meetings, which will feature 31 general managers, coincide with the 100-year anniversary of the league, which is why they are being held at the site of the first-ever meetings in Montreal, when the NHL consisted of only four teams.
“From what was called in preseason to where we are now, it’s certainly changed a little bit,” New Jersey Devils GM Ray Shero said. “Where is the happy medium in terms of what we want in terms of protecting the players?”
According to Pittsburgh Penguins GM Jim Rutherford, whose team has taken the most minor penalties and second-most slashing penalties, the league has no intention of lessening the standard. At the same time, he doesn’t expect a steady parade to the penalty box.
“The players have adjusted,” Rutherford said. “They always do. Players are very smart, and any time we put something in new, they always adjust to it.”
The November meetings are typically not a time when changes are made — that comes when the GMs meet again in March. Instead, it’s a chance to review what’s been working with about a quarter of the season in the books. From faceoff violations and the coach’s challenge to goalie interference and power plays in overtime, here are five hot topics on Friday’s agenda:
FACEOFF VIOLATIONS
It was during the pre-season when Boston’s Brad Marchand called the new faceoff standards “an absolute joke.” It was more confusion than anger. Over the years, players had bent the rules to the point where subtle cheats became part of the strategy of winning a faceoff. Now, those same players were being penalized. The GMs will discuss how to better get the officials and the players on the same page as to what is and is not allowed.
COACHES’ CHALLENGE
When the NHL allowed coaches to challenge potential offsides when a goal was scored, Pandora’s box opened up. Suddenly, everything was being challenged with no consequences. This year, a failed challenge results in a penalty. It’s caused coaches to think twice before challenging — you could go down two goals if you’re wrong — but it’s also gone away from why the challenge was put in there in the first place: to get the call right.
“I thought it was a little bit harsh,” Rutherford said. “It has cut down on the reviews. But the question is, has there been some offsides missed?”
ONE-MINUTE PENALTIES IN OVERTIME
This one is interesting and it sort of makes a lot of sense. When a penalty is called in overtime, a team goes on a fouron-three — rather than a five-onfour — man advantage. That’s a massive difference. Fewer bodies on the ice allow skill players the extra space to make plays and get more shots on net. The question is whether a one-minute power play in overtime is the equivalent of a two-minute power play in regulation. We hope the answer is yes, because it would ultimately mean more time for three-onthree hockey, which is the best part of the game anyway.
PUCKS OVER GLASS
Ever since Brian Campbell accidentally cleared a puck over the glass when he played for the Buffalo Sabres against Carolina in the 2006 Eastern Conference final, the mandatory delay-ofgame penalty has been a source of contention. Don’t expect this one to get solved soon — but there is talk again of whether officials should determine a player’s intent when a puck goes out of play. It’s similar to when a net is knocked off its moorings.
GOALIE INTERFERENCE
Like the faceoff violation, the grey area concerning goalie interference is massive. The rule leaves too much room for interpretation and is called inconsistently. This was apparent during last year’s playoffs, when Anaheim’s Ryan Kesler grabbed the goalie pad of Edmonton’s Cam Talbot on a goal that wasn’t disallowed for interference. Even the video examples general managers received before Friday’s meetings left some confused as to what is and isn’t allowed. “The more you watch it, there’s a lot of nuances that make that job very difficult,” Chayka said. “Everybody wants the right call, but sometimes it’s hard to get the right call.”