Views on Olympic Rules?

[Boston_Habs]

I for one have always been a big proponent of getting rid of the red line, but I have to say the most significant difference between the NHL game and the Olympic game is the 15-second rule on faceoffs. It speeds up the game tremendously, makes for a better flow, and helps eliminate a lot of the chippiness you see after the whistle in the NHL. Quick line change, drop the puck, game on! I love it. Yeah, I know, we have to think about those all important ad dollars, but there should be a way to go with the 15 second rule, but also incorporate a couple of TV timeouts per period.

As far as the red line is concerned, it doesn't necessarily open up the game as much as people think, but if nothing else it cuts down on whistles and improves the flow of the game.

I think after this, the NHL has to do something to improve the game, so whether its the red line or quick faceoffs, we should see some improvements.

[BadCompany]

I like the 15 second faceoffs as well, but as you said, there are those almighty ad dollars to think about.

I am not so sure why everyone thinks these Olympic or international rules "open up the game." I mean, look at some of the recent scores:

Canada 3, USA 2 (woman's hockey)

Canada 2, Finland 1

Russia 1, Czech Republic 0

Belarus 4, Sweden 3

USA 5, Germany 0

Canada 3, Czech Republic 3

... and so on. Hardly blow out scores. If anything, these Olympics are showing that the international rules DON'T open up the game. Look at the styles of play both Belarus and Germany play - 5 men back, the ultimate defensive system. It is a system perfected by the Czech Republic, who didn't play it this year and were eliminated early. Now what kind of system do you think the Atlanta Thrashers, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators and so on, are going to play when faced up against the Detroit Red Wings, or Colorada Avalanche, or indeed, anybody else?

This infamous "Torpedo System" - which, by the way, flopped miserably against the ultra-defensive Belaroussians - was developed by Djuugarden, a team in the Swedish Elite League. Why did they develope this system? Because they were trying to find a way to beat the trap, which was and is employed by all other European teams. These teams of course, play on the big ice, with no red line.

Making the ice bigger should be considered, if only because the players are so much bigger, but I personally wouldn't remove the red line. I played in a league one year that didn't have a red line, and all it did was force the defencemen to hang back even further, to play even more defensive. I do NOT think international rules are going to open up the game. Sorry, but thats just been my experience and observations.

[GNick]

I agree on the quick whistles. It improved the flow of the game. I also liked the no touch icing. Removes many injuries.

But I would leave the redline. It would change the game too much. Goalies who could handle the puck better would become instantly superior