Major changes are expected in NHL

PHILADELPHIA – Seeking to generate more offense and excitement, the National Hockey League will make major changes if the game returns to the ice this fall.

League sources said Thursday night that the red line will be discounted, thus allowing passes from blue line to blue line. The red line will remain on the ice only to determine icing.

Also given tentative approval is the elimination of ties. Instead, a shoot-out after a period of overtime would be used.

If the lockout ends and a new collective-bargaining agreement is announced, the rules changes also are expected to be announced.

The push for the changes began in April. Officials from the league and the NHL Players’ Association and several players met in Romulus, Mich., to discuss how to improve the speed of the game and add scoring.

As the talks continued, one factor that apparently dominated the discussion was the experience that NHL players, coaches and general managers had at the world championship tournament in May.

They agreed that the game seemed much better without the red line.

During their 5-1 rout of Sweden in an early round of the world championship, the Americans had three breakaway goals off passes from one blue line to the other that would have been illegal two-line passes in the NHL.

“I am liking this more and more as a way to open up the game,” U.S. player Doug Weight said after that game. “I’d probably be chasing (NHL star) Rick Nash a lot, but I would enjoy this.”

“Now, you will have longer plays through the neutral zone,” Philadelphia Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock said. “Anything that makes the game faster is good for hockey. This will help promote continuous play.”

Flyers center Jeremy Roenick was stunned when told that the red line no longer would negate long passes.

“Oh, my God, this is spectacular,” Roenick said. “Wow! Unbelievable. This is going to bring a different element to NHL hockey. Taking the red line out will allow cheating (back for breakaways.) … This is great.

“Some people think that the defense will simply back up to the other blue line. But even if you do that, you will allow the offensive team to come through neutral ice with speed. That’s what we want – more speed, more breakaways, more two-on-one rushes.

“If I’m on right wing, it’s going to be easy for me to cheat and get a breakaway pass from (Flyers teammate) Kim Johnsson to the other blue line.”

Since two-line passing that generates breakaways should produce more goals, Flyers goalie Robert Esche’s goals-against average would likely rise.

“I won’t be happy giving up more goals, but it affects everyone,” Esche said. “This is where goalies who are very athletic are going to come into play. I’m for anything that makes the games more exciting for the fans.”

As for the elimination of ties, the overtime period would begin four-on-four, then shift to three-on-three before the shoot-out.

What appears undecided is how long the teams will play four-on-four before losing a man.

Among other planned changes: tag-up offsides will return; no-touch icing will be used; and the size of goalie equipment will be drastically reduced.