INDIANAPOLIS, IN- The NCAA Ice Hockey Rules Committee issued a press release today highlighting proposed changes to the rules used in NCAA collegiate hockey. The release states that the fundamental philosophy is for NCAA “rules to enhance student-athlete safety and to continue to encourage speed, skill and scoring chances in the game. The proposed rule changes will be considered next by the Playing Rules Oversight Panel which meets in July. This group must approve the recommendations before implementation.

First, the rules committee chaired by Forrest Karr director of athletics at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks recommended strengthening enforcement on contact to the head. Under the group’s proposal “a violation will carry a minimum of a major penalty and a game misconduct or disqualification penalty. A major penalty calls for the offender to be ruled off of the ice for five minutes, during which time a substitute is not be permitted.

In the area of icing the group has two major recommendations. The first is adoption of hybrid icing, a rule that was developed and has been used in the United States Hockey League the past three seasons. The proposed rule combines elements of the current automatic icing rule with the touch icing rule used in professional hockey.

In this rule once the back linesman has determined that icing may occur the front linesman determines which player will reach the puck first, using the end zone faceoff dots as a reference point.  If it is determined to be the attacking player, icing is waved off.  If it is the defending player, icing is called. A tie goes to the defender.  This rule was adopted by the USHL to keep the competiveness of the race for the puck in icing situations while lessening the chance of injury occurring from collisions or falls into the end boards.

In another major change centered on icing, the committee is also recommending that icing be enforced throughout the game even in shorthanded situations. Currently teams that are shorthanded by virtue of a penalty are allowed to ice the puck. This proposed rule, which has been tested in USA Hockey Player Development Camps should bring more scoring into the game. The basis behind this change is to enhance power play scoring chances and to ensure that teams which commit violations are not rewarded by being able to ice the puck.

The committee also took several other steps on rules including: having goalkeepers change ends in overtime periods, eliminating the obtainable pass rule and altering the delayed penalty rule to provide the non-offending team a power play, even if a goal is scored during the delay.

Lastly the committee members deferred a recommendation on a proposal that would allow optional half shields as legal equipment for men’s ice hockey only. NCAA players now wear helmets with full face cages. The committee identified the need for more study before consideration of this proposal.  

Contact the author at Phil.Brand@prohockeynews.com