NHL GMs to discuss offside rules Tuesday
NHL general managers plan to discuss rewording the rule for offside on the second day of their annual March meetings in Boca Raton, Fla.
The offside rule states that a player is offside when both of his skates are completely over the leading edge of the blue line, and he is onside when either of his skates are in contact with the ice on the blue line or on his own side of the blue line when the puck completely crosses the blue line.
Expected to be debated Tuesday is if the wording of the rule should change to allow a player to be deemed onside even if his trailing skate is in the air while his front skate is in contact with the ice but over the leading edge of the blue line.
The GMs discussed changing the wording of the rule last season but opted for the status quo.
Goaltender interference was in focus at the event Monday, as the general managers spent their entire session discussing the league's review process for the call. Originally expected to be discussed for an hour and a half, the GMs debated over the topic for three hours.
The GMs are expected to continue reviewing the coach's challenge for goaltender interference Tuesday and hope to have a plan for clarification or a change set before the end of the meetings Wednesday, NHL senior executive vice president for hockey operations Colin Campbell said, via NHL.com.
The general managers are also expected to discuss player safety and fights that occur after legal hits on Tuesday.
--Field Level Media
