The AHL's new Fighting Rule

The American Hockey League has changed their fighting rules. Their new rules are very similar to the OHL's fighting rules. I have to wonder if the NHL is next? The rules are supposed to affect this fall. 

Rule 46 (“Fighting”)/Rule 23 (“Game Misconducts”) 
• Players who enter into a fight prior to, at, or immediately following the drop of the puck for a faceoff will be assessed an automatic game misconduct in addition to other penalties assessed. 

• During the regular season, any player who incurs his 10th fighting major shall be suspended automatically for one (1) game. For each subsequent fighting major up to 13, the player shall also be suspended automatically for one (1) game. 

• During the regular season, any player who incurs his 14th fighting major shall be suspended automatically for two (2) games. For each subsequent fighting major, the player shall also be suspended automatically for two (2) games. 

• In any instance where the opposing player was assessed an instigator penalty, the fighting major shall not count towards the player’s total for this rule.

The NCAA approves proposed changes.

The new rules that were proposed earlier this spring have now been approved by the NCAA ice hockey committee. Seriously, I will believe it when I see it because; it is just like any other rule or law. A governing body can make all the rules they want to, however, for the new rules to be affective, they need to be enforced or the new rules will be useless. I am thinking the latter is going to happen in the WCHA. While some people don't like it when people refer to the WCHA as being the Western Obstruction League (copy right PCM), or complain about the officiating in the WCHA is very poor and is not working anymore. The WCHA and the NCAA hockey have become less watchable. The brutal reality is that the obstruction in the WCHA is so bad that it has caused the WCHA to become the Neutral Trap Zone league or the no scoring league. I don’t go to a hockey game to watch teams obstruct, hack and slash the opposition’s star players up and down the ice I come to watch fast paced exciting action with a lot of hard hitting and an occasional scrap.

Ok, the rules are on the book but the 64,000.00 question is; will the WCHA leader ship be able to put the new rules into action. I believe it can not happen until the WCHA leadership gets out of this incorrect/incoherent mind set that the status quo in the WCHA is half the reason scoring is down last year? A player no matter how skilled he is can not score with a gorilla I mean an opposing player is draped all over him. The laws of physics won’t allow it. An offensive player must be allowed to move freely without being obstructed. Obstruction by the rules books is not allowed and needs to be called.

Lastly, I think the officials in the WCHA are the worst in division one hockey. Personally, I do not believe that the WCHA has enough qualified or quality officials to be able to have two competent officials to ref each game. So it is time for the WCHA to get on board or prepare to hear more complaining and complaints from the fans in the WCHA.

NCAA approves changes to rules
Brad Elliott Schlossman Grand Forks Herald
Published Friday, July 11, 2008

The rules changes in college hockey are now official. There will be two referees and two linesmen on the ice next season and they have been instructed to be stricter in protecting the puck carrier from obstruction, the NCAA announced Thursday.


Not allowing a team to change lines after icing the puck. If a defensive-zone team knocks the net off, it won’t be allowed to change, either.

- Icing will be waved off if the referee determines a pass is attainable by a player on the attacking side of the red line. “Attainable” is defined as a pass on the ice and within a stick-length of the player.

- The NCAA is recommending, but not requiring, all arenas to increase the size of the offensive zone. It is asking arenas to move the goal line 11 feet from the end boards. It is currently 15 feet away. The NCAA wants the offensive zone to be 64 feet.

“The committee believes game officials have held a strong standard of obstruction fouls away from the puck carrier in recent seasons,” the NCAA stated in a release. “In reviewing how the game is being called at other levels, it has become apparent that more emphasis needs to be placed on the puck carrier and allowing players to showcase offensive creativity and skill.”

The Western Collegiate Hockey Association set a scoring futility mark for the fourth consecutive season in 2007-08. But several changes have been made to try to change that trend. Others are:

Adding an “embellishment” penalty.

- Clarifying pucks that go in off of skates. They are to be allowed unless it is controlled, kicked or guided into the net with a skate. If the player is in the act of stopping, it is OK. When in doubt, a goal will be disallowed.

- Delaying an offsides whistle if the goalie plays the puck. In the past, the whistle was automatically blown right away.

- Forcing all players, including backup goaltenders, to wear helmets on the bench