The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
The National Hockey League stresses that nothing is carved in ice as the media reports on proposed rule and format changes that could radically change the game. Potential alterations for the coming season include the addition of four teams and one round to the playoffs, shootouts to decide regular season contests and the introduction of no-touch icing. Colin Campbell, the league's director of hockey operations, said this week that people are jumping the gun if they believe such innovations are a done deal. "It's a combination of rule suggestions that were submitted to help the game, change the game to make it better," Campbell told reporters on Tuesday, adding that "none of it has been even close to ratified." According to The Canadian Press, recommendations under review include: Adding two teams from each conference to the playoffs. They would play a best-of-three preliminary round before the regular four round, best-of-seven rounds begin. Ending ties in the regular season. A five-minute, four-on-four overtime would take place. If the game is still tied, there would be a three-minute, three-on-three overtime. The last step would be a shootout involving three players. The winning team in overtime or a shootout would earn two points, while the loser would leave empty handed. Establishing no-touch icing, meaning the whistle would be blown as soon as an iced puck crosses the icing line. ÊPermitting two-line passes. Any player who receives an instigator penalty in the final five minutes of a fame would be ejected and suspended for one game.
