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NHL delays implementing hybrid icing for next season

Chicago Blackhawks v Detroit Red Wings

DETROIT, MI - MARCH 4: Brendan Smith #2 of the Detroit Red Wings reaches the puck before Brandon Bollig #52 of the Chicago Blackhawks to get an icing call during their NHL game at Joe Louis Arena on March 4, 2012 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images)

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While there have been plenty of rumors coming from the GM meetings in New York, ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun reports one thing is for certain -- there will be no hybrid icing in the NHL in 2012-13.

“GMs have delayed implementation of hybrid icing for next season,” he said via Twitter. “They want to see it in AHL first.”

The idea of hybrid icing -- a mixture of touch and no-touch icing -- gained steam back in March when the NHL GMs met in Boca Raton and recommended it go before the NHL’s Competition Committee.

More, from a Mar. 13 article at NHL.com:

“It’s easy to have these ideas and try to push them forward, but when it comes time to actually write up the rules and think of all the situations and all the scenarios that could happen on the ice, making it clear enough so that we can give our on-ice officials the proper direction, there is a lot of work to do,” [former] Montreal GM Pierre Gauthier said. “It’s going to go forward as a recommendation, but there is some cleaning up as to how exactly it is going to work and what directives we’re going to give.” With hybrid icing, the linesman is required to make a judgment call at the faceoff dots in the offensive zone. If the forechecker is leading the race for the puck when he reaches the faceoff dots then play is allowed to continue. If the defenseman is leading the race for the puck -- or if he is even with the forechecking forward at the faceoff dots -- then the linesman is to blow his whistle to stop the play and immediately call icing.

As for testing hybrid icing, Kevin Allen of USA Today reported its implementation is contingent upon AHL Commissioner Dave Andrews and the AHL competition committee and board of governors.

That said, the American League has historically been cooperative in testing possible rules changes.