The National Hockey League's Board of Governors endorsed three key rule changes in its annual meeting on Wednesday that will be implemented at the start of the 2008-09 season.
The first change will be for Rule 76.2 on faceoffs, placing the first faceoff of a power play in the defending zone of the team that committed the foul.
Second, a change to Rule 81.1 on icing will state that, "Any contact between opposing players while pursuing the puck on an icing must be for the sole purpose of playing the puck and not for eliminating the opponent from playing the puck. Unnecessary or dangerous contact could result in penalties being assessed to the offending player."
The last change will be to Rule 85.5 on faceoff location, saying that if a puck is shot off the goal frame, goal post or crossbar, the subsequent faceoff will remain in the end zone where the puck went out of play.
Also, the league announced Wednesday that the board endorsed immediate and long-term recommendations provided by the Goaltender Equipment Working Group and the league's competition committee and will work with goalies and equipment manufacturers on standards for the maximum size of all equipment that a player can wear.