Echoing savant Dave Hendrickson and others, I think these suggestions are pretty
dumb.  Two years ago the rules committee of the NHL was prepared to put to a
vote the idea of junking the red line in the NHL.  What happened to it I can't
say, but it would certainly seem to be one way of combatting the epidemic of
boring center zone traps which can take even a marvelously offensive team like
Detroit off its game.  Installing a red line with a two line pass rule in the
colleges would just about choke off what little speed college forwards can
exhibit in a game.
 
Eliminating contact on the boards also seems overly simplistic.  Much of the
really onerous stuff could be eliminated by more hitting from behind call, which
was mentioned, and by that other kind of illegal check we see at center ice
especially--interference.  Levelling a forward going up the boards as he follows
a play is just as illegal as crunching a player down low.  Interference, at
least in the ECAC, is rarely called in the above example.  I would comment
though that I have seen more hitting from behind calls this year than
previously, which may be a result from an edict from the ECAC to cut down on the
nasty hits on the boards.
 
I would propose one thing to cut down on brazen hits against the boards: allow
players to freeze the puck against the boards once again.  With ECAC refs
constantly admonishing the players to "move the puck" the play becomes an
opportunity to take as many shots on the player against the boards as you want.
More often it breaks down into a free for all--all legal of course.  I have
never considered the additional face-offs slowing down the game that much, and
I enjoy watching a team who knows what it's doing (e.g. LSSU) taking the draw
in the offensive zone.
 
How about another thread for discussion: what rule changes would you like to
see to improve play in college hockey?  Shots from the blue line for two points?
A designated skater who can go down ice without being offsides?  Or, perhaps,
nothing should be done because college hockey is already cooler than the NHL?
I be interested in whatever serious suggestions (unlike the preceding) anyone
might have.
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Brian Morris                     RPI Engineers--it's a new year
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