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Testing, testing

Sportsnet.ca John Shannon August 18, 2011

The NHL's research and development camp allows the league to try some new things, but rule changes take time.

It's funny how things evolve. And I truly think the NHL is onto something, as far as this research and development camp goes. Not as much for the attempt at tweaking the game, or the lines on the ice, but rather the creation of the unofficial opening of the NHL season.

League executives were there, so were at least half of the general managers and a pretty good swath of media. Heck, there was even a former owner-turned-proud-parent in the group. All thirsting for a dose of the game.

And while there were those who would say most of the managers were there to watch the 2012 draft prospects who were scrimmaging, there were a couple of tangible changes to the playing surface that might help the game.

At either end of the benches, new curved glass will find its way into the 30 rinks. Gone will be the 90-degree glass and stanchion that is dangerous for the players. Feel free to call it the "Pacioretty Curve." Still to be determined is whether the glass will be considered part of the playing surface or out of play if it is hit by an errant puck. Bet on the latter.

There were some interesting changes around the goal. This is where senior VP of hockey operations Mike Murphy has long lobbied for the addition of a "Verification Line" (directly behind the goal line exactly one puck width apart). Day One of the camp, the line did receive a great deal of praise. It is a logical, simple, visual way to see if the puck is across the goal line. If it touches the verification line, it has to be in. It wouldn't surprise me to see it used even as early as this season.

As well, the hockey operations group has adapted some of the goal's netting from above to allow for a much clearer look at pucks across the goal line for video review.

By the way, with no managers' meetings planned between now and the start of the season, if the NHL felt strongly enough, they would put it to the GMs and the owners via conference call in September. Changing the playing environment is much easier than actually changing the rules of the game.

As far as rule changes, it was difficult to see just how much difference they could make. In the first scrimmage, everyone was waiting for that first power play, where the defending team wouldn't be able to ice the puck (a rule change that in my mind could slow the game down).

But alas the power play only lasted 26 seconds before the team with the man advantage took a penalty. On the second power play, a pretty shorthanded goal made everyone forget about the rule change and marvel at the skills of a 17 year old!

The 3-on-3 overtime didn't make an impact, neither did a few of the other small tweaks like allowing hand passes in all zones and the removal of the trapezoid. The examinations of those changes will have to have a much larger sample size. As in previous times, it would make the most sense to take advantage of the AHL game to see the long-term impact of these rules.

I talked to AHL president David Andrews about just that. Would he, in fact, be willing to make his league the "guinea pig" league?

The ever-diplomatic Andrews said, "We have not been asked to test anything, but if we were asked our standard approach is to consider any request that does not impact the integrity of our competition, or the seamless transition of players between our league and the NHL. Generally if the GMs are strongly in favour of a test, that would also influence us."

So, I can only think that the camp does serve a purpose.

Yes, beyond being the unofficial start of the season. But the purpose is certainly not to find a short-term fix for the game. Hockey is a game of actions and reactions. For every rule change, there will be on-ice actions/reactions that can only compound some issues.

Just ask Colin Campbell what happen to the game after the rule changes (or enforcement) of 2005. The power plays increased in the short term and the speed in the game increased, which allowed for more violent hits. And is it even possible to connect to dots to the issue of concussions today.

Rule changes take time, not in two days, but in hundreds of games. And while the camp does a good job at introducing some adaptations, it just too darn difficult to see if they work in these controlled scrimmages. It's not wrong to do them, just don't expect too much.

And it's just nice to be talking hockey again.

By the way, a couple of notes:

— So who was the aforementioned former owner? Tampa Bay's Oren Koules, whose son Miles was one of the prospects. It put a smile on a few faces to see he and Gary Bettman share an embrace.

— The prospects' uniforms had the initials "EJ" stitched into the left shoulder, in honour of the late E.J. McGuire, the VP of Central Scouting who passed away earlier this year and was a driving source of the two previous R&D camps.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
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