It hasn't taken long for reaction to the NHL's newly-formed competition committee. And that reaction, from some NHL general managers, has been of the adverse variety.
A number of GMs told TSN said they're "frustrated" and even "angry" at effectively being replaced as the body that recommends rule changes to the NHL board of governors.
"A lot of guys (GMs) aren't happy at all," one GM told TSN. "In fact, they're furious. This competition committee could have been integrated with the GMs, but it looks like it's a replacement type of thing. It's going to be very interesting to see how this dynamic is going to work."
Others, however, are taking a wait and see approach.
"Let's give it a chance," said one GM not too perturbed at the changes. "But a lot (of GMs) aren't happy, that is for sure."
Some of the angry GMs have apparently let their feelings be known to the league, which as part of the new collective bargaining committee has established this competition committee, where there are as many players (four) as GMs on the nine member panel.
The four players on the committee are Trevor Linden, Brendan Shanahan, Rob Blake and Jarome Iginla. The GMs are Montreal's Bob Gainey, Edmonton's Kevin Lowe, Atlanta's Don Waddell and Nashville's David Poile, The ninth member of the committee is an owner, Ed Snider of the Philadelphia Flyers.
In the past, the 30 GMs were primarily responsible as the body for initiating and recommending all rules changes.
The GMs were informed of the composition of the competition committee by a league memo earlier this week. The memo also included a request for feedback on a wide-ranging series of rule change recommendations for improving the on-ice product once the NHL resumes play in the fall.
Most of those recommendations are as TSN reported earlier this week, but the league memo provides a little more detail. Keeping in mind the recommendations could yet be altered, what was presented to the GMs for feedback is as follows:
Smaller goalie equipment, including 11 inch pads.The reinstitution of the tag-up offside rule.Moving the goal lines back two feet towards the end board to create more room in front of the net instead of behind it.The calling of more penalties more consistently, specifically for obstruction on players with and without the puck and not just in the netural zone.The institution of a shootout to eliminate tie games in the NHL. Before going to the shootout, though, overtime would be modified to include one five-minute period of four-on-four overtime and, if still tied, a three-minute period of three-on-three. If, after eight minutes of overtime, the game is still tied, then it would go to a shootout.The winner of the game - in regulation time, overtime or the shootout - would receive two points for the victory. The loser, regardless of when the loss occurred, would receive no points.The blue lines would be made fatter, as per the American Hockey League experiment this season, to slightly increase the size of the offensive zones.The centre red line will be removed for the purposes of allowing two-line passes.Goaltenders will only be permitted to handle the puck in a designated area directly behind the goal net, as per the AHL experiment this season.A modified form of no-touch icing, where the first player to cross the goal line - not to touch the puck - will dictate whether icing is called. In other words, if the defensive player gets to the goal line first, icing will be called. If the offensive player gets to the goal line first, no icing will be called. Also, when icing is called, the team that iced the puck will not be permitted to change lines.Any player in the defensive zone that shoots the puck directly out of play will receive a two-minute minor for delay of game. In the past, only the goalie was penalized for shooting the puck out of play.Automatic fines to the coach and suspensions to the player for any fight with an instigator in the last five minutes of the game.Once a new CBA is complete, it's expected the league will to look make final these recommendations, or something along those lines, in time for the resumption of play in the fall.