With the NCAA men's hockey annual meetings going on, some changes that need to be made at the conference level or league wide (no regional stuff).
Penalties:
Puck over the glass delay of game. (being discussed)
Call only embellishment/dives instead of matching calls, making it a major would be great to potentially keep players from doing it. (being discussed)
Make failed challenges a penalty like the NHL. (being discussed)
Any cross-check to the head should be an automatic major and a game, if it happens again the games double each time. This need to be out of the game and happens all the time.
If a player grabs their head after a hit. They have to go to concussion protocol, or they should have to miss the rest of the game. We've all seen that a player lays on the ice, grabs their head, and dies. Magically during the review, they are healed/revived and back out right as the power play starts. You could say faking an injury should be a DQ.
Goalie interference - Can someone come up with what is goalie interference and start calling it. If the goalie wants to leave the blue paint, I'm all for him being fair game.
Games:
Need to get more games in a season, this would make the season longer to fit. Also need fewer off weekends with two max, one in the first half and one in the second.
40 to 44 game regular season, I'd like this to be 50 a season without exempt games. This would be 24 conference games, 10 non-conference historical rival games, 10 non-conference games, and 5 to 6 exempt games (Alaska, Ice Breaker, HOF, and holiday tournaments).
Conference games are 22-26 depending on the conference and how many teams in the conference.
With there being 6 conferences that would be a mandatory 2 games against each conference every year. Different teams each year, unless doing a return game the following season. This will let the little guys host the big boys every few years (think of it as UND plays Bemidji once every 8 years).
Historic rival games, this would be a way to get Minnesota, Wisconsin, BC, BU, etc on the schedule yearly and not wasting it on the Bemidji's.
Bring back holiday tournaments make this exempt to the regular season games like going to Alaska, Ice Breaker, and HOF game. This would be 7 total exempt games, with a max of 6 exempt games a year (2 Alaska, 2 Ice Breaker, and 2 Holiday).
Give exemption exhibition games to play ACHA teams looking to move up. This could be a "preseason" type game the week before the season starts.
One a side note, I'd like to see more teams do what UND does and have "destination" games. Need to grow the game and get a ACHA team to play before the NCAA game. Have discounted tickets for the fans that watch the ACHA game.
Other changes needed:
The Davos rules: Second goal line that is a puck width away from the goal line, being able to hear the refs and see all replays as they talk to the review official, and the wave off icings if the player is slow are taking time to get to the puck. These three especially the first two should be in all of hockey. (NCHC needs to be the first to do this)
A war room for reviews like the NHL. (NCHC should be the first to do this)
Make in net cameras mandatory. Need not only the camera UND has in their nets, but a crossbar camera, a low ice level camera, and a camera that is on a gimbal. NHL quality in net camera system. Everyone needs this (not just UND) NCHC should set the standard they used to set until the new commissioner. (NCHC should do this)
Using iPads or Surface Pro on the bench or for the refs to use during reviews (the DU guy wouldn't have a job then lol). Refs using a tablet while standing next to the box keeps the player that has a penalty stay in the box. Or could have the monitors where the coaches walk like the NHL. Surprised this isn't a thing yet but being discussed on the bench at least.
Get rid of 3x3 and shootouts, time to go to 5x5 or 4x4 10-minute OTs and no shootouts. They are discussing a 7-minute 5x5 OT or it was a 3x3 7-minute OT.
I'm sure there are other changes needed to the season that I'm missing, add ideas to the discussion. I know the Deputy Commissioner of the NCHC has brought up the forum before so if they are lurking these are some good ideas.
