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Diving into 2014-15 rule change reactions

Ducks Kings Hockey

The ice crew clears the ice of debris that fans threw after a puck shot by the Los Angeles Kings against the Anaheim Ducks crossed the goal line but officials determined it was not a goal due to incidental contact with the goaltender during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Los Angeles, Saturday, March 15, 2014. The Ducks won 2-1. (AP Photo/Danny Moloshok)

AP

The NHL announced an array of rule changes for the 2014-15 season today. For the most part, those alterations could be considered incremental tweaks rather than enormous leaps, but there were still some interesting reactions to the league’s slightly new approaches.

Let’s take a look at how some of the changes were received.

First, there’s the full range of spin-o-rama drama:

With any rule tweak, the big question is: how often will that change actually be enforced? There were at least a couple alterations that drew skepticism:

(Damien Cox also doesn’t expect faceoff cheating to be fixed too well.)

The Columbus Dispatch’s Aaron Portzline doesn’t like that the NHL raised the threshold for a “distinct kicking motion” disallowing a goal:

Here’s the wording of that rule change, in case you need a refresher:

* In reviewing “Kicked in Goals,” Hockey Operations will require more demonstrable video evidence of a “distinct kicking motion” in order to overrule a “goal” call on the ice, or to uphold a “no goal” call on the ice

Was it difficult for you to tell what kind of difference international-style face-off hashmarks might make? The Carolina Hurricanes provided an example:

Finally, a fun thought to leave you with regarding this overtime tweak:

Rule 84 – Overtime

* Teams will switch ends prior to the start of overtime in the regular
season.

* The entire ice surface will undergo a “dry scrape” prior to the start of overtime in the regular season.

* The procedure requiring the head coach to submit a list of the first three shooters in the shoot-out has been eliminated.

A lot of dry scraping, indeed.

Follow James O’Brien @cyclelikesedins