I have heard many different opinions in the last month or so regarding the new style of hockey, now that the National Hockey League has implemented some rule changes. Most people have expressed positive opinions, but some have expressed negative. I would be one of those on the positive side.

I would say most of the new rules, if not all of them, have immediately changed the game positively. What is there not to like about end-to-end action? What is there not to like about a player that is set free on a three line pass? What is there not to like about an increase in overall scoring? What is there not to like about no trap? What is there not to like about no obstruction hooking?

Let me break down the three new rules that I feel have immediately improved the game and compare them to the way the game was played prior to the changes.

1. The two-line pass. Who was the idiot that implemented this rule over a decade ago? It slowed the game down. It made it easy for defenses to stand pat in the neutral zone and keep players from gaining any type of speed. All together now people, TRAP! That rule has now been eliminated! Now we see players being set free on three lines passes. We see more speed coming through the neutral zone. We see the faster players taking advantage of the slower players. Isn’t that the way it should be?

2. Tag-Up Offside. Prior to the rule change, if a player was caught inside the attacking zone and the opposition player touched the puck, the play was whistled down. In addition, if the puck was dumped back in by the attacking team and a player was trapped inside the zone, the play would be whistled down. The play was stopped whether the opposition player gained possession of the puck or not. This slowed down the game. The whole point of hockey is to keep the game flowing. Not to chop it up into pieces. With the tag-up offside rule back in effect, players can exit the attacking zone and re-enter once everyone is out. This keeps the puck moving as players can’t sit and wait to decide what to do with the puck. Furthermore, attacking players don’t have to sit in the neutral zone and wait for the opposing player.

3. Obstruction Hooking. Let me paint you a picture. Imagine yourself on water skis being dragged behind a boat. Just holding the bar, riding on the wake and letting the boat do the rest. In the past 10 years or so, no matter what level of hockey I was watching, I always saw players doing the same thing except on skates. They were being lazy while back-checking and using their stick to slow players. From behind, they reach out with their stick and the blade of the stick is in the midsection of the opposing player as he is trying to skate up the ice. It was like they had forgot what it was like to use their feet (speed) to catch up to a player and back check the proper way. This has been the most important rule change. The game needed more flow, more speed, more end to end action. With players being penalized for such infractions, we are seeing exactly what we wanted. Out with the slow, big players and in with the smaller, more skilled players.

There are more rules that have been implemented by each respective league across North America, but these three were those that stood out as immediate benefits to the game.

It boggles my mind that some people can say they loved the game before the rule changes. Are they serious? What is to like about a slow, defensive style of game that allows more shutouts and 2-1, 1-0 outcomes. I have, and always will be in favor of a high tempo, higher scoring game!