A series of suggested minor rule changes have emerged from the NHL’s general managers meetings in Florida on Tuesday, including a new coach’s challenge to review if a puck hit something when it goes over the glass.
The coach’s challenge will allow teams to avoid a penalty for sending a puck over the glass if video review can show it struck something. But if a coach gets it wrong, a team will incur two penalties, instead of just one.
Another challenge was requested for “friendly fire” minor penalties for high-sticking, seeking to show it was player’s own stick or a teammate’s. Same as previous proposed challenge, a team will get an additional minor if the challenge fails.
All the proposed rule changes need to go through the Competition Committee and Board of Governors before they can be approved.
Other proposals include:
+ Granting a replacement goalie a warmup if the player he subs in for is removed by a concussion spotter;
+ Giving both the defensive and the offensive centre a warning for a violation on a faceoff after an icing. Currently, only the defensive centre gets one, while the offensive centre gets ejected;
+ If play is blown dead because goalie loses his mask, other team is awarded choice of which offensive-zone dot ensuing faceoff will take place;
+ Moving a faceoff one zone to the benefit of the non-offending team if a player refuses to play a puck off a high-stick or hand pass.
One immediate change will see players get a warning and then a penalty for hanging their legs over the bench during play. This is a tactic widely employed when players change on the fly, but a recent injury to an official prompted this adjustment, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.