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NHL GMs on board with introducing coach’s challenges

Corey Crawford, Tom Kowal

Corey Crawford, Tom Kowal

AP

Sounds like the NHL is one step closer to taking a page from the NFL.

At Tuesday’s GMs meetings in Boca Raton, Fla., a recommendation was made to introduce coach’s challenges for goalie interference and puck-over-the-glass penalties.

The details:

-- Coaches would only be allowed to challenge goalie interference plays when the puck went in (ie: goal or no goal.) Review can’t be used to call a penalty.

-- Video reviews would take place at ice level with the referee using a monitor/tablet. While there would be discussion with NHL’s department of hockey operations, the referee would make the final call.

-- Like in the NFL, the coach on the losing end of the challenge would lose his timeout. If he wins, he keeps his timeout. If the coach doesn’t have a timeout left, he can’t challenge.

-- There will be further discussion about adopting a NFL-style “automatic” review in the last minute of play. Currently, the NFL implements this in the final two minutes of each half.

-- Sounds like all potential goalie interference reviews in OT will be initiated by hockey operations.

-- Regarding puck-over-the-glass calls, reviews will be used only to remove a delay of game penalty, an be handled by hockey ops.

There are still things to be ironed out (like if the coaches get to throw red flags on the ice, which would be great) but it sure looks like coach’s challenges are on their way in.

It is worth pointing out, though, that like all recommendations made by the GMs, coach’s challenges will need to go through the NHLPA’s competition committee and NHL’s Board of Governors before getting approved.