Yesterday, we told you about a potential meeting in August to “re-set” the rules on obstruction.
Today in New York, Colin Campbell, the NHL’s senior vice-president of hockey operations, confirmed the meeting will indeed take place.
“In March, some teams said to us that they had an issue,” said Campbell. “They said, ‘We think the standard’s dropped.’ Well, the standard on what? Holding? Interference? If it’s interference, is it interference off the faceoff? Is it off the entry? Is it the forward? Is it the defenseman? You’ve got to tell us so we can tell the referees how to call it.”
According to the Globe and Mail, the special meeting will include “general managers, coaches, players and officials.”
The challenge, of course, will be to get everyone on the same page heading into next season. For example, offensive teams might want the rules called more tightly than defensive teams.
But at least the NHL has acknowledged a discussion needs to take place. Because based on all the confusion we’ve witnessed, a discussion really needs to take place.
