[News] NHLPA approves hybrid icing for regular season

[Stay Golden]

Great news especially for the times a team intentionally ices the puck. Speed up the game. Now if the NHL can get the refs to not jerk around and drop the puck quicker.

[IamNotKenKing]

The way I read the rule is there are no more races to touch the puck, and the race is instead to the face off dot, or if it's a ring around the net, who would have touched the puck first.

In both instances, if the defending player wins the race or would have touched the puck first, it's icing. If the attacking player does, then it's not icing. Period.
There will no longer be any poking at the puck between the skates, or racing to the end boards, as there is no real benefit to just touching the puck. So, in my opinion, this will reduce injuries at the boards.

Essentially, if the attacking player is ahead in no touch icing it wouldn't matter, and it would still be icing, but in this hybrid rule, play continues and the attacking team can still score/attack.

I know in playing with no-touch, there are many times when as an attacking player you are well ahead of the play, but it is still icing.

Am I reading it wrong?

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

I was referring to the diameter and thickness of the net frame itself.

How the hell would the diameter and thickness of the net frame cause injuries? That’s like saying you can cut yourself with the shape of a knife.

When players were injured by crashing into the net, it was the weight, hardness, and immobility of the metal posts that inflicted the damage. Changing the materials (and how they were attached to the ice) fixed that problem. Changing the size or shape of the net would have made no difference.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

So what happens if the offensive player reaches the faceoff dots 1 ft earlier than the defensive player? Play resumes?

So now instead of Pitkanen and Foster breaking their legs, it will be Skinner and Koivu?

I don't understand how this rules helps the issue.

If it is borderline, I believe the officials are supposed to err on the side of safety and blow it down. But yes, hybrid icing argues that the health of defenders is paramount to health of attackers.

[strombad]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

So what happens if the offensive player reaches the faceoff dots 1 ft earlier than the defensive player? Play resumes?

So now instead of Pitkanen and Foster breaking their legs, it will be Skinner and Koivu?

I don't understand how this rules helps the issue.

The race is to the face off dot. If say it is Skinner and Foster, and Skinner hits the dot first, then icing is waived off (so if Skinner is first to the dot, then from that point on there is no race to the puck with the purpose of touching it, which should eliminate boarding and sticks between the legs).

So no, it makes it safer for everyone. If the defenceman hits the face off dot first, icing, if the attacker hits it, no icing.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by IamNotKenKing

The way I read the rule is there are no more races to touch the puck, and the race is instead to the face off dot, or if it's a ring around the net, who would have touched the puck first.

In both instances, if the defending player wins the race or would have touched the puck first, it's icing. If the attacking player does, then it's not icing. Period.
There will no longer be any poking at the puck between the skates, or racing to the end boards, as there is no real benefit to just touching the puck. So, in my opinion, this will reduce injuries at the boards.

Essentially, if the attacking player is ahead in no touch icing it wouldn't matter, and it would still be icing, but in this hybrid rule, play continues and the attacking team can still score/attack.

I know in playing with no-touch, there are many times when as an attacking player you are well ahead of the play, but it is still icing.

Am I reading it wrong?

Yes, that is correct.

The decision to stop play is made when the first player reaches the faceoff dot (or equivalent position on the ice), 31 feet from the end boards, which should be ample time for the players to alter course.

The attacking player doesn't need to actually touch the puck first (often the goalie will play the puck once icing has been waived off), he just needs to be in the position to most likely have touched the puck.


Personally, the one change I would have made is that if it's too close to call, the decision would go to waiving off the icing because I'd rather see the play stay alive than see it stopped.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by strombad

The race is to the face off dot. If say it is Skinner and Foster, and Skinner hits the dot first, then icing is waived off (so if Skinner is first to the dot, then from that point on there is no race to the puck with the purpose of touching it, which should eliminate boarding and sticks between the legs).

So no, it makes it safer for everyone. If the defenceman hits the face off dot first, icing, if the attacker hits it, no icing.

That makes the faulty assumption that the two players are going to stop racing for the puck or ease up because icing has been waved off. They're going to go in just as hard.

[strombad]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

That makes the faulty assumption that the two players are going to stop racing for the puck or ease up because icing has been waved off. They're going to go in just as hard.

It changes the entire purpose for why they're going to the boards, it's not about one touch, they still have to focus on making a play when one of them acquires the puck which is essentially impossible when you're going gangbusters towards the boards. You can damn well bet the way they go to the boards changes, and there won't be errant sticks going into skates with the whole purpose of one touch.

Hybrid works, you can still get a bit of bad play, but it's incomparable to touch icing. Much safer for both players.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

I love it so far watching it in action tonight. Way better than what we've previously had.