Mr. Assist's take on the new NHL rules

No red line: {A+} This is the best rule change....Simplifies the game and provides more end to end action.

Smaller goalie gear: {A} Needed to be done...Goalies were getting carried away - some looked ridiculous.

Larger offensive zones: {A-} Allows more room for plays to develop and  more puck control....Big seam at the top of the circles were skilled players and power forwards can exploit...Please pass this on to Jarome Iginla and the Calgary Flames power play.

Tag-Up Offside: {B+}  Less whistles and more flow. 

Clamp down on officiating: {C}  This is a tough one.  Good battles are a part of hockey and you love to see them(especially in front of the net).  Old school D-men have really taken it hard with all the rule changes.  At the same time holding and hooking need to be limited.  Still needs tweaking as too many penalties take away from the flow of the game and what about the playoffs?  If the penalty rulebook was simplified it may help - it reads like a governemnt document now

Shootout: {C-}  The first few were exciting but couldn't stop thinking about the solid defenseman or the grinding forward sitting on the bench with no chance to effect the outcome of the game.  Takes away from the team concept. 

No change after icing the puck: {D} Didn't need this one.

Goalie "no play" the puck zone: {F)  This is a joke....if anything where the goalie can and can't play the puck should be reversed from the way it is now.  Then you could use the hard rim without it being cut-off and when the goalies are in the corner playing the puck they often screw-up.  Its' exciting when the puck turns over there and the goalie has to rush back to the net.

What were they thinking?....Shots to the head needs to be addressed...Stiffer suspensions and ejections from games...with or without injury...this would have prevented the Bertuzzi incident.  Reduce the roster size and number of games(quality not quantity)...players are in better shape then ever and with so many power plays who needs 20 man rosters...lets see the best players more often during games and by reducing the number of games they'll be at their best with more emphasis on each game.

Overall the NHL did an okay job.  We could live without the last three rules.  The NHL should look at the following criteria when making rules changes: 1) Simplify the game. 2) Effect on goal scoring. 3) Protect the players. 

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