Changes the NCAA needs to make

[cberkas]

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. 

[atxsioux]

Puck over the glass being a penalty would be a welcome change. Players have started to do this more and more intentionally over the years

[TwamleyShuffle]

In addition to cross checks to the head being penalized more, I would also like to see 5 vs. 5 OT before we see 3 v 3

[cberkas]

End the loser point, you shouldn’t get a point for making it to OT.

 

[Big Green]

Please no 5X5 OT.  They have already played 60 minutes of 5x5 and the game is tied.  Either leave as it is or call it a tie after 60 minutes and each team gets a point.  OT in the payoffs is different, as it is win or go home.  

My preference would be leave it the way it is. 3x3 is fun.  You have a lot more open ice, I love the strategy of it, and most of the time the game ends before the shoot out.  

Maybe change the shoot out to have a defender start on the far blue line to chase the shooter.  That would prevent the shooter from slowly skating in.

 

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

12 minutes ago, Big Green said:

Please no 5X5 OT.  They have already played 60 minutes of 5x5 and the game is tied.  Either leave as it is or call it a tie after 60 minutes and each team gets a point.  OT in the payoffs is different, as it is win or got home.  

My preference would be leave it the way it is. 3x3 is fun.  You have a lot more open ice, I love the strategy of it, and most of the time the game ends before the shoot out.  

Maybe change the shoot out to have a defender start on the far blue line to chase the shooter.  That would prevent the shooter from slowly skating in.

 

I recall some electric 5 on 5 OT's, and the stakes were so much higher

[rochsioux]

I would prefer to eliminate the 3x3 completely (& shootouts). If tied after 60 then play 5x5 for 5 minutes (what we used to do). 4x4 would be ok if you want more open ice since that happens during games, but 3x3 almost never occurs in regulation. The winner gets all the points, loser gets nothing. If it ends in tie then split the points. If you still want 3 points for the winner, then each team gets one point for a tie and no one gets the extra point. Might incentivize the teams to take chances and go for the win in OT. 

[Scratch]

For fun, I would add to the agenda a proposal to ban Don Lucia from attending any rules-related function for life for the crime of impenitent hypocrisy followed by an anonymous vote of the coaches. The evidence is incontrovertible--just put up his proposal from ~10 years ago to lower the age limit next to Wodon's article quoting him last week on the transparency

[tnt]

13 hours ago, atxsioux said:

Puck over the glass being a penalty would be a welcome change. Players have started to do this more and more intentionally over the years

I just worry that it will lead to so many more video reviews to see if it was deflected or caught a piece of the glass.  They already take forever with the major penalty reviews.

[Wilbur]

I think to get away from 3x3 mini hockey deciding playoff percentages that we need to call games ties that end after 60 if you aren't going 5x5 in OT.  Anything that comes after that shouldn't be considered a win in the NPI or a loss.  Have your 3x3 and your shootout if you want to, but the game is a tie for the records.  I think you'd see more teams press to score a bit more in the 3x3 if they had less to lose from it.

Best of 3 first round playoffs.  Reseed, best of 3 super regionals, then the normal F4.  If your arena isn't available its on you to find a backup and make it work or play on the road.  I mean lets act like this is a D1 operation here, and I hate the argument that "hockey is different because of Arenas". 

I'd also like to see a player impact panel, where the kids can voice their opinions on some game play or rule changes they'd like to see.  Team Captain serves as the rep, leave the coaches out of this one.  

[atxsioux]

1 hour ago, Scratch said:

For fun, I would add to the agenda a proposal to ban Don Lucia from attending any rules-related function for life for the crime of impenitent hypocrisy followed by an anonymous vote of the coaches. The evidence is incontrovertible--just put up his proposal from ~10 years ago to lower the age limit next to Wodon's article quoting him last week on the transparency

The age thing is so dumb. In College football and basketball unless you are a stud freshman you play sparingly if any. The guys that do play are the exception, same thing as in hockey. Majority of freshmen football players in a class redshirt for 1 whole year, then maybe play some in year 2. Then by year 3 you hop into the lineup and play. So instead of redshirting + not playing for almost 2 years you play JR hockey instead for 1-2 years.

[The Sicatoka]

https://boardsroom.blogspot.com/2015/02/what-nchc-needs-to-change.html 

[Big Green]

2 hours ago, Wilbur said:

I think to get away from 3x3 mini hockey deciding playoff percentages that we need to call games ties that end after 60 if you aren't going 5x5 in OT.  Anything that comes after that shouldn't be considered a win in the NPI or a loss.  Have your 3x3 and your shootout if you want to, but the game is a tie for the records.  I think you'd see more teams press to score a bit more in the 3x3 if they had less to lose from it.

Best of 3 first round playoffs.  Reseed, best of 3 super regionals, then the normal F4.  If your arena isn't available its on you to find a backup and make it work or play on the road.  I mean lets act like this is a D1 operation here, and I hate the argument that "hockey is different because of Arenas". 

I'd also like to see a player impact panel, where the kids can voice their opinions on some game play or rule changes they'd like to see.  Team Captain serves as the rep, leave the coaches out of this one.  

For the heck of it I went on the College Hockey news site and changed all the OT Wins to Ties to see what would have been different.  Only 2 changes.  Dartmouth and Providence would have flipped. Providence moving up to 6 and Dartmouth down to 7.  The other one is much more significate.  Augustana would be in the tournament at 14 instead of UConn.

So you could either argue it would not change much, or kept a team out that would have been in.

 

[Wilbur]

52 minutes ago, Big Green said:

For the heck of it I went on the College Hockey news site and changed all the OT Wins to Ties to see what would have been different.  Only 2 changes.  Dartmouth and Providence would have flipped. Providence moving up to 6 and Dartmouth down to 7.  The other one is much more significate.  Augustana would be in the tournament at 14 instead of UConn.

So you could either argue it would not change much, or kept a team out that would have been in.

 

I'll agree, I think most years it wouldn't change much with the current 55% and 45% or whatever they decide to do percentage wise nowadays.  I'd personally be a bit ticked off if UND didn't make the postseason based on a 3x3 outcome between UCONN and Boston college late in the season for example.

I'm not a fan of the 5 minute 5x5 during the regular season.  OT just turns into a tennis match with both teams dumping the puck and trapping the neutral zone after both teams battled for 60 and neither wants to drop points when it gets there.  I don't see the system changing, fans want a winner, and its used at most of the upper levels of hockey during the regular season.    

[nascar99]

Keep the eligibility rules as is for hockey. The 5 in 5 is being rammed through for football/basketball purposes and hockey would be negatively altered if this goes through & applied to it

[Dustin]

For as much razzing as 3x3 gets, I doubt it's going anywhere, because all of the adjacent levels of hockey (USHL, CHL, IIHF, AHL, NHL, Olympics) have embraced it.  It's pretty much has become part of the definition of what a hockey game even is at this point.

[BigGreyAnt41]

6 minutes ago, Dustin said:

For as much razzing as 3x3 gets, I doubt it's going anywhere, because all of the adjacent levels of hockey (USHL, CHL, IIHF, AHL, NHL, Olympics) have embraced it.  It's pretty much has become part of the definition of what a hockey game even is at this point.

Agreed.  NHL has had it for overtime for more than 10 years now.  It's definitely part of the game now.  People aren't complaining about the smaller neutral zone, not changing lines after icing, or being able to do a two-line pass.  Those three have only been part of the game for 20 years.

[jdub27]

3 hours ago, nascar99 said:

Keep the eligibility rules as is for hockey. The 5 in 5 is being rammed through for football/basketball purposes and hockey would be negatively altered if this goes through & applied to it

Unfortunately that is where the money is and they are trying to make a one size fits all policy so there is less ambiguity for lawsuits.
While I don't think it would happen, it probably also gives a little more merit to Buccigross' comments a while back that NCAA hockey could split off in some shape or fashion.

[atxsioux]

25 minutes ago, jdub27 said:

Unfortunately that is where the money is and they are trying to make a one size fits all policy so there is less ambiguity for lawsuits.
While I don't think it would happen, it probably also gives a little more merit to Buccigross' comments a while back that NCAA hockey could split off in some shape or fashion.

If you want to get college hockey on TV more often during the regular season, Bucci's idea is the best way IMO. You can sell all the top programs in a package to a TV network. The big issue IMO is the Big 10 teams likely don't break off from their current TV deal (however maybe Fox would be the ones to take on the TV rights and air the non-big ten team games on FS1, etc) Being able to flip on games consistently on Big 10 network, FS1, and FS2 would be an improvement over the current system

[90siouxfan]

Perhaps the 3x3 should have an "over and back" condition, if the possessing team takes the puck back into their defensive zone, they lose possession. 

[cberkas]

Ivies need to be like everyone else, if they want to start a week or two later they don't get exhibition games to make up games played.

[Goon]

@MafiaMan was telling me he loves the 3X3 OT and then a 10-round shootout. 😆

[cberkas]

xG will now count to the score 🤣

@Oxbow6

[brianvf]

 

[farce poobah]

If one major goal of college hockey is to help prepare players for NHL, then changes I'd like to see:

* puck over the glass is a 2 minute penalty.  (If ref isn't sure and no camera available, then don't call it.)

* add a trapezoid, and align penalties for goalie playing puck outside it.

* keep overtime 3x3 (but continue having it count for very little).