New faceoff rules

[teenagemutantninjahertl]

So the NHL is changing the faceoff stick rules for next season. Now, the defending player must put his stick down first, unless the faceoff is at center ice, where the visiting player must put his stick down first.

 

What do you guys think of this?

 

I like it. It will increasing scoring with offensive zone faceoff wins and will give less of a home-ice-advantage in faceoffs.

[Podein25]

I don't like it. Home ice advantage should matter.

[teenagemutantninjahertl]

I don't like it. Home ice advantage should matter.

 

Last line change? Home crowd?

[Podein25]

Last line change? Home crowd?

Yes, and faceoffs. In the end, it's not a big deal. I can see some cleverness in the change. I just prefer the idea that the visiting guy has to get his stick down first in my building.

[blocker]

While the official is waiting to see who has his stick down first, I'm the old guy hollering from the bench "Drop the f##cking puck".

[AlaskaFlyerFan]

While the official is waiting to see who has his stick down first, I'm the old guy hollering from the bench "Drop the f##cking puck".

 

I always wondered who was doing all that yelling! 

[jammer2]

@teenagemutantninjahertl  On the surface, I don't like the new rule....but for the most part, it will be irrelevant. The offensive player may have a split second advantage, but smarts and eye hand coordination will still win out in the end. Unless, you have two total equals, then it come out badly for the defensive player.

 

 

edit...and add body positioning that also, just cause you have your stick down, will not prevent the defensive player to box out the offensive player either.

[ruxpin]

On the surface, I don't like the new rule....but for the most part, it will be irrelevant.

 

This exactly.  99% of the time, who cares?

 

EDIT:  I didn't mean that like this subject isn't really good for discussion.  I just wonder that it isn't simply tinkering rule changes that will ultimately make very little difference.

[AlaskaFlyerFan]

I remember hearing about this from the general managers meetings. This rule change is designed to give the offensive player an advantage to gain puck control and increase scoring chances.

I just wonder that it isn't simply tinkering rule changes that will ultimately make very little difference.

Agree with this.

If you want to increase scoring, decrease the size of goalie equipment.

[jammer2]

If you want to increase scoring, decrease the size of goalie equipment.

 

This makes perfect sense, but touch the size of the nets, and I'm gone....

[ruxpin]

This makes perfect sense, but touch the size of the nets, and I'm gone....

 

Yeah, I don't want bigger nets.  You do that and you start screwing with angles, etc., and the feel of the game.  I personally don't need 7-5 games anyway.   The clutch/grab 2-1 games constantly became kind of boring, but I think every game 7-5 and 6-4, etc., would also grow boring to me.

 

Maybe change the equipment, but they did that once already.  I really think the goalies are just getting trained better and are a lot more athletic (on average) than they were.   So, go ahead and reduce the size of the equipment, but the shots are getting a lot harder (skill, training and material) so make sure you keep the goalie's safety in mind.

[jammer2]

@ruxpin  If you make bigger nets, all goals and pt totals from this point forward will need an asterik. You would lose all ability to cross compare different era's (as if it's not tough enough now...lol) and players. This much I know, Rocket Richard scored 50 goals into the same size net that Mike Bossy did years later. Anything else is BS.

[ruxpin]

@ruxpin  If you make bigger nets, all goals and pt totals from this point forward will need an asterik. You would lose all ability to cross compare different era's (as if it's not tough enough now...lol) and players. This much I know, Rocket Richard scored 50 goals into the same size net that Mike Bossy did years later. Anything else is BS.

 

Great point.  Completely agree.

 

EDIT:  I don't think that's really a selling point for some people, by the way.  But it is to me.  Maybe it's growing up a baseball fan also that such things concern me, but they do.

[jammer2]

I don't think that's really a selling point for some people, by the way.

 Oh, I don't think it's a selling point, it's EVERYTHING. Anything else is a bastardized version of our sport.

 

 EDIT  It would be like moving the pitchers mound back 5 feet to promote scoring in MLB...outrageous!!

[ruxpin]

 Oh, I don't think it's a selling point, it's EVERYTHING. Anything else is a bastardized version of our sport.

 

 EDIT  It would be like moving the pitchers mound back 5 feet to promote scoring in MLB...outrageous!!

 

We absolutely agree on this.  

[nossagog]

Here's my one suggestion for increasing scoring that doesn't change rink dynamics or equipment.  Call icing on the team killing a penalty.   I don't know of any other sport which basically gives some kind of advantage to a team that is being penalized.  This would increase scoring chances by the team on the power play several ways.   More time in the offensive zone, quicker puck retrieval because teams will be dumping to the neutral zone instead of just blasting the puck without care, team killing the penalty will not be able to change players on the icing calls.

 

This would be huge in the second period with the long change.