Expanded review among competition committee's rule recommendations

The NHL and NHLPA Competition Committee convened Tuesday and released a series of rule recommendations.

The biggest topic of discussion was expanded video review, which both parties agreed needs tinkering.

Commissioner Gary Bettman said just as much during his latest public address in May, declaring the league will work to find the right balance when it comes to replays.

Here's a look at all of the recommendations, as outlined by the NHLPA.

• Expanded video review/coach's challenge: The committee recommends changes to the coach's challenge and expanded video review, including as it relates to a referee's ability to review some of his own calls on the ice. Recommendations will be prepared for the league's board of governors, general managers, and the NHLPA's executive board.
• Helmets off during play: The committee recommends work on a rule construct for implementation next season that would reasonably require a player to leave the ice in the event his helmet comes off during play.
• Goalies unnecessarily freezing puck: The committee recommends that the defensive team not be permitted a line change when a goalie freezes the puck on any shot from outside the center red line. The offensive team will have the choice of which end-zone dot the faceoff will take place.
• Faceoff procedure changes/line changes: The committee recommends: i) That following an icing, the offensive team will have the choice of which end-zone dot the faceoff will take place. ii) To begin a power play, the offensive team will have the choice of which end-zone dot the faceoff will take place. iii) That no line change be permitted for the defending team if, in the judgment of the official, the actions of a skater of the defensive team caused the stoppage by unintentionally knocking the net off. The offensive team will have the choice of which end-zone dot the faceoff will take place.
• Puck out of bounds: The committee recommends that when the attacking team is responsible for the puck going out of play in the attacking zone, all faceoffs will be conducted at one of the two faceoff dots in the attacking zone.
• Regular-season tiebreakers: The committee recommends adoption of a proposal that would modify existing regular-season tiebreaking procedures and adding additional criteria.

The rule recommendations still require approval by the NHLPA's executive board and the NHL's board of governors before they can be formalized.

Among those in attendance at the meeting were Connor McDavid, John Tavares, Steve Yzerman, Ken Holland, and Colin Campbell.