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NHL Could Adopt KHL's Newest Rule

The NHL may consider adopting a new rule the KHL is implementing this season.

Jacob Punturi

Feb 27, 2024; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman talks to the press before the Winnipeg Jets vs St. Louis Blues game at Canada Life Centre. Mandatory Credit: Terrence Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 27, 2024; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman talks to the press before the Winnipeg Jets vs St. Louis Blues game at Canada Life Centre. Mandatory Credit: Terrence Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Terrence Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The NHL is always looking for ways to improve the game. Going into the 2024 season, league commissioner Gary Bettman announced that the league re-wrote several rules in response to player, coach, and executive feedback. They also are expanding the coach's challenge to include situations when pucks are sent out of play in the defensive zone.

Even with these updates to the rulebook, the NHL will continue evaluating the game and adjusting. If they want to find inspiration outside of North America, they can look to Russia.

The Kontintental Hockey League (KHL), largely regarded as the second best professional league in the world, is also looking at some rule changes and improvements in 2024-2025. They are using their junior league to test out a new rule for overtime. The league shared the latest from their x account.

"Players are not allowed to skate with the puck back to their half of the ice in OT," the league wrote. "A minor penalty shall be imposed upon the team starting the 2nd violation of the rule."

The change the KHL is attempting to implement could be beneficial. By not allowing players to circle back to their own half of the ice more than once, it will force players to do two things. Either continue attacking with the puck and create scoring chances while other players change shifts or give up possession of the puck and retreat.

NHL teams have mastered the 3-on-3 overtime period. When it was first introduced, they were always extremely fast-paced and filled with scoring chances. In the years since, the pace of play and scoring in overtime have slowed down and dropped considerably.

Now, the KHL is the first professional league to combat this issue. The junior league will be the testing ground for the new rules, and if it works favorably, it should be in the KHL by 2025 and then who knows.

At the beginning of the 2023 season, St. Louis Blues' General Manager Bill Armstrong was one of several NHL executives that voiced the desire to explore changes. He told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic about it following the annual general managers' meeting.

“I am in favor of exploring tweaks,” he said. “Three on three is excellent entertainment when played with pace and multiple scoring opportunities. It is usually the top-end skilled players on the ice, and to have them show off their speed and skill is great for the fans.”

The NHL is open to changes if they feel it improves the game, they've shown that over and over. It's not clear how high on the priority list this issue is for the league, but it's on their radar. If the rule change works in the KHL, it's just a matter of time until the NHL adopts it as well.

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Jacob Punturi

JACOB PUNTURI

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