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5 interesting rules the NHL will test at the R&D Camp

2010 NHL Research, Development and Orientation Camp

TORONTO, ON - AUGUST 18: The NHL tests new face-off locations during an on-ice session at the 2010 NHL Research, Development and Orientation Camp fueled by G Series on August 18, 2010 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Matthew Manor/Getty Images)

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For the second year in a row, Brendan Shanahan and his cohorts at the NHL league office will play with their own personal mad-science lab in Toronto next week. The league plans on testing out rules that have no chance of ever passing, rules that already should be in the league, and rules that are being tested just to appease a certain general manager in the area. Some of the rules are subtle changes that could have big-time effects on the game if implemented. Then there are other changes that will stick out like John Scott at a midget convention. Hopefully there won’t be any images like this one from last year’s R&D camp. That thing never had a chance.

James Mirtle over at The Globe and Mail took a look at some of the potential rule changes that caught his attention. In the same spirit, here are five of the rule changes that caught our eye:

1. Offside variation (offending team can’t change and face-off in its end zone)
Fans reactions to the dreaded offside call on a 3-2 odd-man rush would go from “how hard is it to stay onside” to the more dire “if they score on this faceoff, I’m going down to the locker room after the game to yell at so-and-so.” It’s understandable for the punitive measures taken to discourage icing, but this seems like an extreme measure to eliminate a play that is often caused by over-aggressiveness. If anything, this could discourage speed in the neutral zone and cause players to be more cautious when they’re on the attack. Isn’t that the exact opposite of what the league has been trying to promote?

2. ‘Hybrid’ icing
They might as well keep testing this rule until the GMs have the good sense of passing it into law. It’s clear that with the increased speed of today’s game (without obstruction) and without the help of goaltenders handling the puck, the most routine icing play has become dangerous for the defenseman chasing the loose puck. Watching international events that employ no-touch icing shows that there’s still a time and place for the end-zone chase. It’s frustrating to watch when an offensive player is clearly going to get to the puck first only to have the play blown dead. Hybrid icing brings the best of both worlds: it allows players to chase the puck, but protects defensemen in a vulnerable position.

3. Delayed penalty variation (offending team must exit zone in possession of puck to stop play)
This is a rule that has a ton of potential. The league has tried to implement rules that the offending team has had to control the puck (as opposed to just touching the puck) in recent years, but this takes the rule to the next level. It further rewards a team for pressuring their opponent, while not letting the offending team off the hook by simply grabbing the puck. Now, they’d have to do something with it. Depending how this rule is implemented in the R&D camp, it could be something the GMs take a strong look at down the road. One tweak might simply require the offending team to clear the zone—not necessarily with possession. Requiring a team to gain possession and skate the puck out of the zone might be asking a little too much. Firing it past the blue line should be enough.

4. Shallow-back nets
This is one of those rules that doesn’t seem like a big deal until you see it implemented on the ice. Last season, this was one of the more surprising suggestions because of the multiple advantages it creates for the offensive team in the attacking zone. Obviously, shallower nets allow for more space behind the net; for players who are always looking for time and space, any little bit helps. But surprisingly, it was the passing from behind the net that struck me as the biggest advantage to spring from the shallow nets. Without as much net obstructing play, there are better/different passing angles for creative passers to exploit from Gretzky’s Office. Back door plays and plays that go against the grain open up like never before.

5. All penalties to be served in their entirety
Talk about opening Pandora’s Box. Imagine a world where every 2-minute minor penalty is treated like a 5-minute major. The opposition can score as many times as possible; only after two minutes will the offending player finally be released from the box. Remember all of those questionable calls in the playoffs with accusations of diving? With so much more on the line, there’s a good chance diving would increase in direct proportion to scoring output. What about when a team takes a 2-minute penalty when they’re already on the penalty kill? Does that mean the team can score on the 2-man advantage as many times as possible? A simple delay of game call, or worse yet, a blown call on a nothing play, could change the entire complexion of any given game. If anything, the officials should be the ones who shoot this rule down.

What rules are you looking forward to seeing this summer? More importantly, which rules would you like to see implemented in the next few years? Let us know in the comments.