NHL general managers could redefine the definition of offside when they gather in Boca Raton, Fla., for their annual meeting Monday through Wednesday.
General managers will determine whether the blue line plan should be used to determine if a player is offside.
According to Rule 83.1, a player is offside when “both skates completely exceed the leading edge of the blue line.” This means that if a player’s skate does not touch the ice, even if it is still above the blue, they are in an offside position. This has become a major problem since the coach’s challenge allowed video replay of offside criticism.
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“The coach’s challenge for offside has created a lot of frustration and I think we should think carefully about how we can still do things correctly, which is the main thing, but do it in a way more efficient and more accurate,” Nashville Predators general manager David Poile told USA TODAY Sports.
If the NHL moves toward the blue line plane, it would be like the NFL’s touchdown rule and make it easier to determine offside on video replay. It is believed that this will lead to more goals.
The March CEO meetings focus on reviewing potential rule changes or amendments. General managers often make recommendations at this meeting, and those recommendations are then reviewed by the NHL Competitions Committee, made up of players, NHL officials and team officials. The league’s Board of Governors has final say on all rule changes.
League executives also provide updates to general managers on important issues, like the salary cap. One of the biggest concerns this year may be whether the NHL will allow its players to participate in the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
