1998-99 NHL Rules Changes
Posted: Wednesday October 21, 1998 07:07 PM
NEW YORK (CNN/SI) -- Take a look at the following NHL rules changes
for 1998-99 season: The goal lines will be moved from 11 to 13
feet from the end boards and the neutral zone will be reduced from 58 to 54
feet. This change will increase each end zone to 73 feet in total length.
The semicircle of the goal crease will be reduced by 2 feet on
either side of the goal posts. The sides of the crease will be defined by
straight lines. The video goal judge will be allowed to call
down to the referee to advise that an offensive player is in the crease at
the time a goal was scored. The referee would still be able to make the
determination as to whether the offensive player was pushed into the crease
by the defending team. The previous rule allowed only the referee to
request a man-in-the-crease review. Two referees will be
used in specified games along with the usual two linesmen. Each team will
play 20 games (10 at home, 10 on the road) that will be officiated by the
two-referee, two-linesmen system. The NHL first introduced a
two-referee system in 1933-34 when two referees replaced one referee and
one linesman. The league returned to one referee and one linesman from
1938-41, then moved to one referee and two linesmen in 1941-42.
If the goaltender leaves his crease on a potential icing and feigns
playing the puck, the icing will be waived off. A player who
leaves the bench to join a fight will no longer be automatically suspended,
but the case will be reviewed by the league. Any player
receiving a major penalty for kneeing will be assessed an automatic game
suspension. Stricter suspensions will be handed out in
cases where a player causes a head injury with his elbows or stick.
If a player jumps on the ice early on a line change, play will be
stopped with the face-off at center ice. A penalty for too many men on the
ice will be called if the player entering the game plays an opponent or the
puck too soon.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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