Changes to video review, faceoffs recommended

A coach’s challenge will be coming to the NHL if the Board of Governors approves changes recommended by the NHL / NHLPA Competition Committee, which met Thursday in New York.

Via NHL.com:
Expanded Video Review: Coach’s Challenge – The Committee recommends that a Coach’s Challenge be adopted for expanded video review for goals that may have resulted from (1) goaltender interference and (2) offside plays. The video review process and all decisions on goals where goaltender interference may have occurred will be the responsibility of the Referees at ice level, in consultation with the NHL’s Situation Room in Toronto; similarly, goals that may have resulted from an offside play will be reviewed and determined by the on-ice officials, in consultation with the NHL’s Situation Room in Toronto. In order for a coach to make a challenge, the team must have its timeout available.

The competition committee also recommended changes to faceoffs in a defensive zone. Instead of the visiting team’s center, the defensive zone center must put his stick on the ice first before the puck is dropped. When a faceoff is held at center ice, the visiting player will continue to put his stick on the ice first.

The new rules will be finalized should they be approved by the NHLPA’s Executive Board and the NHL’s Board of Governors at meetings during the June 24 NHL Awards in Las Vegas.

There’s more interesting league news today, including Gary Bettman keeping the door open for expansion and the Pittsburgh Penguins’ acknowledgement that they will “engage” Morgan Stanley to see a review of their operations and potentially facilitate a sale. James Mirtle also wrote about salary cap implications should the players choose (or not choose) to use their five percent escalator to raise the cap; he also referenced the partial 2.5% escalator that may be gaining traction amongst the players and was discussed on this site last week.