NHL’s new look: no tie games with shootout

TORONTO (Reuters) – The National Hockey League will have no
tie games next season as the league adopted a shootout to
determine the winning team if there is a tie after overtime,
one among a series of sweeping rule changes announced Friday.

On the same day the NHL officially ended its lockout and
awarded the number one draft pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins,
the league also implemented several rule changes designed to
open up the game.

The most prominent change is the creation of a shootout to
decide games tied at the end of regulation time in the regular
season only.

After any scoreless five-minute overtime, three players
from each team will participate in the shootout, which will
continue with a sudden death format if still tied after three
shots.

Two-line passes will now be legal in the NHL as well, as
the red center line will be ignored for off-side purposes.

Other changes include the reduction of goaltender’s
equipment by 11 percent; the bluelines being moved closer
together to create a bigger offensive zone in each end;
officials being instructed to have zero tolerance for any
interference, holding and obstruction; a new designated
puck-handling area for goalies and stiffer fines for
unsportsmanlike conduct.

The changes were implemented to speed up play and create a
more offensive, up-temp game. The NHL has been criticized for
too much emphasis on defensive play in recent years, with goal
scoring way down from the free-wheeling days of the 1980s.

The NHL also formally introduced its new competition
committee, a collection of hockey people that will examine all
competition issues as they come up during the season.

Players Rob Blake of Colorado, Jarome Iginla of Calgary,
Trevor Linden of Vancouver and Detroit’s Brendan Shanahan are
on it, along with Phildaelphia Flyers owner Ed Snider, and NHL
general manager Bob Gainey of Montreal, Kevin Lowe of Edmonton,
Nashville’s David Poile and Don Waddell of Atlanta.

Colin Campbell, NHL executive vice-president and director
of hockey operations, will oversee the panel. NHLPA director of
business operations Mike Gartner will also provide imput.