Paul Stewart: Pace Creates Goals, Goals Shouldn't Hurt Pace

Paul - one one hand you will say the rulebook is confusing and contradictory in it's rules, yet you are saying the delay of game penalty is a good rule? Please explain? If a team, based on a rule, sees a positive challenge where they know the play should be overturned, yet the officials decide to rule the play on a different rule, why should the team be penalized for that? Optics say the officials can pick and choose what rules they want to apply on any given play.

Whats killing the game currently - I say that because each year some new rule gets added, or heavily enforced, that hurts the game - is the new faceoff rule. It seems that on almost EVERY faceoff there is someone tossed from the circle, creating a tremendous slow down to the action. The team that gets kicked out of the dot then becomes extra timid on the draw as to not cause a penalty that they tend to lose the faceoff.

Additionally, the new slashing calls that are taking place. You cant even tap an opposing player's glove without heading to the box. This hurts the flow of the game with all this stoppage over something these players have been doing, without penalty, their entire playing careers.

Enough tinkering with the game. It used to be exciting - now its becoming frustrating to watch

Whats killing the game currently - I say that because each year some new rule gets added, or heavily enforced, that hurts the game - is the new faceoff rule. It seems that on almost EVERY faceoff there is someone tossed from the circle, creating a tremendous slow down to the action. The team that gets kicked out of the dot then becomes extra timid on the draw as to not cause a penalty that they tend to lose the faceoff.
- Up2nuthun

Faceoffs, as a practice, are a very simple thing. You put your skates outside of the designated areas, wait for the ref to drop the puck, and try to win it back. You had players with their skates right on top of the officials and turning their bodies 180 degrees before the ref even flinched. Don't cheat, and it's not an issue.

Additionally, the new slashing calls that are taking place. You cant even tap an opposing player's glove without heading to the box. This hurts the flow of the game with all this stoppage over something these players have been doing, without penalty, their entire playing careers.
- Up2nuthun

And that's why they're calling it now, because it SHOULD be a penalty. An innocent-looking whack can have severe repercussions, highlighted by Methot last year. The NHL is nothing if not reactionary, so they wanted to crack down on slashes. If they stay consistent with it (questionable), hopefully the players will have adapted by the midpoint of the season.