NHL partially bans ‘spin-o-rama’ move

New York, NY (SportsNetwork.com) – The NHL announced a number of rule changes on Thursday, including a partial ban on the spin-o-rama move and an expansion of the area protecting goaltenders.

The rules, approved earlier this summer, will be in effect for the upcoming 2014-15 season.

Under the changes, players will no longer be allowed to use the spin-o-rama move during shootouts or penalty shots.

The trapezoid, a restricted area extending behind the goal, will be expanded by two feet to further protect goalkeepers.

The NHL also created a new game misconduct category that will treat clipping, charging, elbowing, interference, kneeing, head-butting and jabbing a player with the butt of your stick the same as boarding and checking from behind.

Two of those types of game misconducts draw an automatic one-game suspension.

Among the other changes:

– An expansion of video review gives NHL officials “broader discretion” in determining the legitimacy of all goals — including guidance on plays where the game referee has blown his whistle or intended to blow his whistle after losing sight of the puck.

– A revision to the tripping rule calls for a two-minute minor penalty when a diving player trips an attacker with his arm, shoulder or body even if the defender has made contact with the puck first. (Penalty shots will not be awarded in such situations if a defender makes contact with the puck first.)

– Players and coaches will be subject to fines ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 for diving and embellishment infractions.

– Under a new rule aimed at curbing delay tactics in face-offs following an icing, in situations where the defending team is guilty of a violation, the defending player who is lined up for the face-off will be given a warning, but will be required to remain in the circle to take the face-off. A second such violation by the defending team will result in a two-minute bench penalty.

– Under tweaks to the rules for overtime, teams will switch ends at the start of the period, the ice surface will be dry-scraped and coaches will no longer be required to submit a list of the first three skaters in a shootout.

– Faceoffs will remain in the attacking zone on plays deemed to be “intended to create bona fide scoring opportunities” — such as when a shot breaks the glass; goes out of play after deflecting off the side of the net, the dasher boards or a teammate; or becomes wedged in or on the exterior of the goal net.

Categorized in: NHL