Gary Bettman on the verge of making major NHL rule changes?
Some time ago, NHL GMs and Gary Bettman discussed potential changes that could be made for the NHL.
Notably, to make the three-on-three overtime more dynamic.
NHL Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations, Colin Campbell, mentioned after the November 2023 meeting that the league didn't like seeing players retreating into their own zone to attempt another zone entry. This puck retention strategy severely disrupts the flow of overtime.
Is Gary Bettman about to announce major regulatory changes?
Several options were discussed, including a shot clock that would force the team in possession of the puck to take a shot within a time limit and prohibiting players from crossing back over the blue line or red line.
Regarding the second option, the NHL will be able to observe the results as early as next season, as the Junior Hockey League (MHL) in Russia is set to implement this type of regulation.
As mentioned by the KHL account, a player who has crossed the red line with the puck will not be allowed to go back behind it in overtime. The team in possession of the puck will therefore be forced to continue their path towards the opponent's goal. The first infraction of this kind will lead to a faceoff in the offending team's zone. The second will result in a minor penalty.
The MHL will thus be the test league to see if the KHL will use this regulation during the 2025-2026 season. Given a positive result, it wouldn't be surprising to see the NHL follow suit with this regulation.
Credit: TVA Sports
La LNH explore de nouvelles possibilités à 3 contre 3
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