Testing NHL Potential Changes

Wednesday August 18 (all times ET; subject to change)

10:00 a.m. – Noon
• Hybrid icing rule;
• No line change for team committing an offside;
• Crease reset rule;
• Face-off variation (face-off controlled by whistle in place of traditional puck drop);
• Overtime: three minutes of 4-on-4; three minutes of 3-on-3; three minutes of 2-on- 2 followed by shootout (5 players per team).

2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
• Bigger crease;
• Verification goal line (additional line situated behind the goal line);
• Wider blue lines;
• Line changes zone in front of each bench;
• Face-off variations (infringement results in the offending player moving back further, three face-off dots down the middle of the ice);
• No icing the puck while shorthanded;
• OT – three minutes of 4-on-4; three minutes of 3-on-3; three minutes of 2-on-2 with long line changes; followed by three shooters per team shootout (if tied after three shots then players who have shot previously can shoot again).

Thursday August 19 (all times ET; subject to change)

9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
• No touch icing;
• Team that commits an offside infraction cannot make a line change and face-off is in offending team zone;
• Face-off variation: after a face-off violation, opposition center may choose his face-off opponent;
• Second referee located off the playing surface;
• Delayed penalty rule
• No icing the puck while shorthanded;
• OT – 4-on-4 (with long line change) followed by a shootout with five players.

1:30 p.m.  - 3:00 p.m.
• Variations of special teams play;
• OT – 4-on-4 (with long line change).

Continue reading this post »

Just curious as to how you guys think the draft might have played out with Ruskell at the helm. I personally think this draft turned out as good as possible. I think Ruskell would have taken Okung no question, but he might have opted for Derrick Morgan over Thomas (mainly because Thomas was only a 2 year starter), or perhaps even traded down.

What do you think? Was the Seahawks first round better than, worse than, or the same as it would have been with Ruskell?

Hey all you wonderful AA'ers. I wrote this sample blog post to apply for a Mets blogging position at a small, local radio station. This is my first long, in-depth article using advanced stats, so please criticize and critique! Let me know what's good, what sucks, etc, so I clean it up before sending it in, or if the article even makes a valid argument (it's very possible that it doesnt).

Also, obviously feel free to discuss the subject at hand. Thanks!

Continue reading this post »