New Rules/New Dmen?

[#96 0]

In watching the preseason games, the refs seem to be calling the games pretty tight. As they should, hate it or love it, these are the new rules. So I have a two comments/questions...

1) Do you think the refs will continue to call the game as tight as they have been? Do you think they will loosen up just to help the flow of the game more? I saw Mogilny give a tug to a Ranger last night that for years was basic hockey, now is a two minute minor. I could totally see refs lightening up on calls like that, even though according to the rules, they shouldn't.

2) Now that Dmen aren't allowed to be so physical away from the puck, and arent't allowed to push and stickcheck like they used to around the puck, it seems to me that the need for big, physical dmen like Darien Hatcher, Chris Terian, etc., won't be as necessary. I can see the need for smaller, more agile, better skating Dmen who can actually skate around with the quicker forwards becoming more important. Before, big guys could slow down attacking forwards and kinda keep up that way, or beat them up in front of the net. But now with the new rules, it seems to me that guys that can actually skate well and keep up will be more valuable. Anyone agree? Thoughts?

[Eazy_b97 1]

I think it will keep up, but certain guys are being keyed in on from the games I've seen. More penalties are being called, but they still aren't calling the same thing consistantly, which is making the transition harder than I expected it would.

On the small D, yes and no. A Derian Hatcher will have alot more trouble with someone like Afiniganov for example than he will with someone like Allison. Where a smaller D, who isn't as physical will have alot of trouble with a bigger slow forward who can just out muscle them, but maybe not with a guy like Afi.

[Gongshow11 1]

last year when NCAA enforced their no tolerance policy, we saw like 20 mins of penalties per team. every second there was a penalty. then as the year went on, penaltied died down, although still more from when i played prep