I have been tossing around a few ideas in my empty, lonely noggin for some rule changes. Most aren't worth even mentioning, but here are two that I think could add a bit to the game overall.
First, change a portion of the icing rule to the international standard. Make the player have to completely cross center ice before he can dump the puck in. No more of this being in the area of the red line then dumping it in. It's like baseball where as long as you were close to second base when turning a double play, that was good enough. The entire player, including his stick has to be completely over the center red line.
Second, change the size of the trapezoid and the rule. Make the trapezoid bigger and then make the area behind the net off limits to the goalies. Now they can only play the puck in the corners and NOT behind the net. Since the original idea was to limit the goalie's ability to help his D-men to increase offense, make it a bigger risk for the goalies to play the puck.
I think both of these changes would help create more offense. I could be wrong, but with bigger and faster players on a rink that hasn't, and probably won't get any bigger, these are two changes I'd like to see. Will they happen, probably not. But I suppose the icing is a lot more probable than my trapezoid idea.
Finally just to throw one out that I've mentioned before and I was in the minority, big time, I want to change how points are awarded for regular season games. I absolutely hate the loser point. I want it to go away, forever. I would love to see this happen, regulation win=3 points, OT win=2 points, and a shoot out win=1 point. This way a regulation win is the most important win. No more getting rewarded for losing the game. I'd also be ok with just bringing back the tie, but that ain't happening either. But I do not and never have liked this loser point. It's just not right, as far as I'm concerned. I know this is probably the least popular of my three ideas, but I was just throwing this out there.
Feel free to add your own ideas or flame mine.
What Rule Changes Would You Like To See?
12018-2019 Stanley Cup Champion St. Louis Blues. And I was alive to see it happen!