The National Hockey League and the NHL Players' Association are continuing to negotiate on the details surrounding an implementation of a rule to prohibit blind-side hits to the head. It was thought at one point that an agreement and implementation might have taken place in time for Wednesday's games, but that is no longer the case.
There will be no decision on Wednesday night. The players have asked the NHL for time to get approval from their Executive Board. The league has given the NHLPA until Thursday to get that approval.
The NHLPA released a statement early Wednesday evening, saying; "We have deliberated and endorsed to the NHLPA Executive Board the League's proposal to implement supplemental discipline this season for blindside hits to the head. Our Executive Board will vote on this recommendation and we will respond back to the League with a decision in the next 24-48 hours."
The rule, which has already been recommended by the league's General Managers and approved by the NHL's Board of Governors, still needs to be approved by the NHLPA and it's Competition Committee before being officially adopted.
The five players who are on the Competition Committee are Brian Campbell, Jeff Halpern, Ryan Miller, Mathieu Schneider and Jason Spezza.
Sources say there is no chance that two and five minute penalties will be introduced as part of any rule implementation this season.
