Icing change expected
Hybrid rule finding traction among players, management
Ottawa Senators prospects weren’t the only ones having an audition Thursday against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The NHL’s hybrid icing experiment was also on display as a pre-season experiment. Most players and management types seem to like it, so don’t be surprised if it becomes a full-time rule for the regular season.
Essentially, linesmen have the option of blowing the whistle on an icing if the defenceman is leading the race to the puck by the time he reaches the defensive zone faceoff circle. This can be a judgment call in cases where the charging forward and the D-man are both close to the circle.
The goal is to reduce unnecessary collisions and injuries on simple icing plays.
“I like it,” said Senators defenceman Marc Methot. “As a defenceman, it protects me. I know it’s going to be hard for linesmen because they have to make a lot of judgment calls and I’m sure they’re going to take a lot of heat from coaches, but that’s the game. And if you can protect the players, as far as I’m concerned, you’re making the right call.”
Senators head coach Paul MacLean concurs that hybrid icing would help remove one potential hazard from hockey (minor hockey has no-touch or automatic icing, and this new rule is a compromise).
“The game has become dangerous the last couple of years, especially for defencemen,” MacLean said.
Defenceman Patrick Wiercioch has had more experience with the hybrid system than some of his teammates — the AHL experimented with it last season.
“I like it,” Wiercioch said. “We played a bit with it in the American League last year, it gives you that competitiveness to get back for the puck but takes away a bit of that risk — two guys reaching in, one stick a bit ahead of another. Wiercioch says the hardest read for officials is on a wrap icing, where the puck enters one side and veers around the other, where a forward or defenceman may approach from different angles.
“At that point maybe the tie goes to the offence to keep the game moving,” Wiercioch says. “It’s a step in the right direction and I’d like it to stick around.”
Senators GM Bryan Murray believes it will, as the league may institute the rule in time for the regular season.
ODE TO HASEK
After playing the first two periods of Wednesday’s game, goaltender Craig Anderson didn’t return to the Senators bench for the third period, leading to speculation he may have been injured. He’s not, he says.
“I’m physically fine,” Anderson said. “I wasn’t scheduled to play the last 20 there and just came into the room and got undressed. It wasn’t really planned, but at the same time, there were no issues making the switch.”
Asked if he was taking a veteran’s prerogative by not sitting on the bench, Anderson said: “You can call it a Dominik Hasek move, I don’t know. He pulled a few of those when he was here, didn’t he?”
SPLIT SQUADS
By Sunday, the Senators expect to split into two groups, a 26 to 28-man NHL group and a second bunch comprised of players eventually headed to AHL Binghamton. The Bingo group will stick around, as the Senators have three games in three nights next week, including a split-roster game against the New York Islanders Sept. 29, with a game here and in Barrie.
Goalies Craig Anderson and Robin Lehner are expected to play two full games each next week. At the moment, there are 52 players in camp. After the groups are divided, the NHL side will likely have six forward lines and eight defencemen, plus two goalies.
Saturday’s featured event is the fan fest red-and-white intra-squad game at 11 a.m. in the Canadian Tire Centre.
Afterward, it’s down to business, head coach Paul MacLean with his group, and Binghamton coach Luke Richardson with his.
“When the team gets together they’re practicing against — NHL players,” MacLean said. “It’s not an experiment anymore.”