The NHL GM's are getting closer to approving a coach's challenge, but it won't include goalie interference. Wait, what? The best hockey league in the world and they don't have video review for goalie interference.
NEW YORK, N.Y. - NHL general managers made some progress toward implementing a coach's challenge system, but could not finalize plans to do so at their annual Stanley Cup final meeting.Just for the record, the NCAA has a video review procedure already in place. This review includes goalie interference. (NCAA Rule 93)
At this point the issue is trying to define what cases would be subject to challenges and how the process would work. Because of that, GMs sounded optimistic something would be agreed on, but there was no certainty about whether it would start next season or in 2015-16.
"It would be related to a coach's challenge and so instead of jumping right into it, maybe everybody understands when the coaches are going to challenge," Jim Rutherford of the Pittsburgh Penguins said. "So maybe just try it internally for a year. These are real tough changes so you want to get it right."
Coach's challenges and the possibility of expanded video review dominated Wednesday's meeting several blocks from Madison Square Garden on the day of Game 4 of the Cup final.
One thing that seemed clear was that goaltender interference would not be part of any such changes because there's so much room for interpretation.
To determine if an attacking player was illegally in the goal crease and physically or visually prevented the goalkeeper from defending the goal when the puck entered the goal cage.