Follow @james_tanner123 Unless I missed the memo on while out on my two day vacation, the NHL didn't make any (significant) rule changes this summer.
The Competition Committee (which is a group of former players and people involved with the game who come up with ideas which the NHL Board of Governors then may implement by vote) met in June and made two recommendations. The first was that a team who was charged with icing couldn't then take a time out. This is a decent enough rule that makes sense and will lead to (I'm guessing) ten or so extra goals this season.
The second had to do with power-play highsticking and where the faceoff is. It's an obscure point of minutia that even this hockey nerd can't get worked up about. It's really just there to make the application of the high-stick rule consistent and doesn't really warrant much discussion.
Where is the recommendation to fix the preposterous off-side / video-replay rule? Games were needlessly extended and in some cases ruined by one of the stupidest rules to ever be implemented.
Allowing coaches to challenge offsides and having replays was the worst thing about hockey last year. The NHL's answer: do nothing.
Also, what about player safety? Did the Competition Committee come up with any rules regarding the excessive amount of cross-checks to the neck it takes to earn a penalty?
None of this was solved and no one is talking about it. Until the season starts and everyone remembers what they hate about the NHL.
The NHL clearly needs some alterations, but the league just stuck it's head in the sand all summer. Good thing those faceoffs will be consistent after high-sticks though.