NHL Rule Changes / Shark Bait

by xcoma on Jun 18, 2008 5:44 PM PDT

After the Torrey Mitchell - Kurtis Foster incident in which the latter player broke his leg, it looks like the NHL is taking some action in terms of addressing touch icing, and the disasters that can happen due to it.

A change to Rule 81.1 states that “any contact between opposing players while pursuing the puck on an icing must be for the sole purpose of playing the puck and not for eliminating the opponent from playing the puck.”

The amended rule further states that “unnecessary or dangerous contact could result in penalties being assessed to the offending player.”

It's great news on the heels of many scary moments last year shared by fans of every team at one point or another, I'm sure. Another rule change that is minor but could have a very big impact to the end of games is the new rule touching on face off after a rewarded power play.

A change to Rule 76.2 will place the first faceoff of a power play in the defending zone of the team that committed the foul.

This is a pretty cool idea, IMHO. With that being said, lets see how I feel about that when it's 4th overtime in a game 6, and we get rewarded with a lucky whistle. Haha, I don't think I'd be diggin' it so much at that particular time.

Other sharks news:

Larionov Elected to Hall

freesia39 touched base on this, so I just linked to her diary.

McLellan and Marleaus - San Jose Mercury News

A freshly written article about how the new head coach and our team captain might have a little history. Something I feel sharks might be able to take a little peace in knowing. Hopefully he truly makes a difference and propels us to where we should be. Jacking up that Stanley Cup as high as we can!

This item was created by a member of this blog's community and is not necessarily endorsed by Fear The Fin.

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I'm a she.

But otherwise, good to see the rule changes come about.

I can’t wait until I’m back in the Bay Area, and can follow the Sharks nonstop. (although the downside is that I’ll lose my nonstop UCLA coverage…)

by freesia39 on Jun 18, 2008 6:29 PM PDT reply actions

oh jeez.

excuse my assumption.

I’m just glad that some people are posting around here. Even a couple posts in the offseason was better than how it was some of last season alone.

I’ll edit that ‘his’ to a ‘hers’ right now.

by xcoma on Jun 18, 2008 9:29 PM PDT up reply actions

Hey...

... I resemble that remark (sigh).

by Diecast Dude on Jun 25, 2008 9:49 PM PDT up reply actions

Hey, man.

You can’t write something if there isn’t anything to write about. I was just saying there is a stark difference between before playoffs last season and this offseason. Looks like we’ll have some fans to chat about the game with.

by xcoma on Jun 26, 2008 12:23 AM PDT up reply actions

Works for me!

What I wish is that SBN 2.0 worked better with the version of Safari that’s on the iPhone. I can leave comments on an existing post, but I can’t create a new one.

Don’t get me wrong; SBN 2.0 is five levels above superb. It’s Apple that’s behind the curve. Ah well. Maybe the promised software upgrade to existing iPhones in a few weeks (if I remember correctly) will take care of that.

And as I look outside at the residue of smoke form all our wildfires still choking the horizon beyond these office walls, and then back down at the massive mess of things on my desk all screaming to be done five minutes ago… man, I could use a game at the Tank to comment on right about now. September cannot come soon enough!

by Diecast Dude on Jun 30, 2008 4:16 PM PDT up reply actions

the link to the McLellan/Marleau story isn't working for me...

"The Athletics at Fremont" is obscene

by ArakSOT on Jun 20, 2008 12:16 PM PDT reply actions

Thanks a bunch.

I fixed the link. It should be working now.

by xcoma on Jun 20, 2008 7:03 PM PDT up reply actions

I'm in

Ok so I’m commenting both because your “even a couple of posts…” comment made me feel guilt for just reading and not commenting and because I think I’m really going to enjoy the new 76.2 rule.

It’s also going to be funny being at games and hearing the folks around going “Why are they dropping the puck there? These refs don’t know anything!” that you know will happen.

by deirdrebeth on Jun 20, 2008 6:50 PM PDT reply actions

Haha, yeah.

Definitely. I definitely these slight rule changes will be for the better. They’re just commonsensical.

by xcoma on Jun 20, 2008 7:04 PM PDT up reply actions

76.2

is gonna make a huge difference – win the faceoff and your pp is set with a full two minutes on the clock – an immediate attacking advantage with puck possession. pps can often take 30 or more seconds to get set up. get ready for some extra fireworks on the pp this yr.

by calhockey2 on Jul 2, 2008 5:44 PM PDT reply actions