The NHL’s obstinate resistance to implementing a no-touch icing rule baffles many hockey fans. No-touch icing draws a whistle as soon as the iced puck crosses the goal line, rather than waiting for a player to touch the puck.
While implementing the no-touch icing rule would eliminate those infrequent but exciting times when an offensive player beats the opposing team to the puck, injuries are much more common result than excitement. Additionally, a quicker whistle would speed play, since a vast majority of icings are preceded by players gliding up to the loose puck and burning time off the clock.
Blogger and Globe and Mail sports writer James Mirtle recently visited Washington D.C. He discussed the issue with former Capital Pat Peake, whose career-ending injury while racing to beat an icing call no Capitals fan can forget. Check out James’ article here.
Almost every level of hockey worldwide has adopted the no-touch icing rule. It’s time the NHL follow suit.
2 Comments
They adopted the no-touch icing rule in my league to save time - it takes us a good three or four minutes to skate that far!
NHL should definitely adopt no-touch icing. Rarely amounts to much. Also if the it is a top line or defensive pairing they wouldn’t waste their shift hauling all the way back down the ice.
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