Hybrid Icing in the NHL

I like it. I don't think the "race for the puck" that continues into the boards adds any suspense and only leads to more possible injuries.

Possibly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by boil3rmak3r

I had to look up what "hybrid icing" was. If I understood correctly, it gives referees an opportunity to call the icing before anyone touches the puck IF it is clear that the defensive team will reach the puck first.

Yep. If the offensive player is in the lead, or they're close, the play continues normally.

Quote:

Originally Posted by boil3rmak3r

Do I understand it correctly? If so, how are the referees calling this? For example, let's say a defensive player is skating for the puck and is at the blue line. An offensive player, who is known to be one of the league's fastest skaters, is a few paces behind.

They race to the "line" formed by the two face-off dots. If the defensive player clearly gets there first, they blow it as icing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by boil3rmak3r

Would they let those two players race for the puck and call an icing if it later becomes clear that the defensive player would get there first (maybe, say, 10 ft short of the puck)?

See above. The line between the faceoff dots.

Actually that's not 100% true, but the line is used as a sort of "make your decision now" point. The below is an example that shows it's not simply a "race" to that "line," just that the line is used as the point at which the ref makes the determination of whether someone will clearly get to the puck first.

Quote:

This description led many to believe that hybrid icing was a "race to the faceoff dots." However, the linesman is actually making a determination of which player more likely to make it to the puck first. A case where this might apply would be a puck being rimmed around the boards. While the defensive player may reach the dots first, icing may be waived because the offensive player is more likely to reach the puck first.

Let's take a look at a diagram.

This is a hypothetical example of the above description. If the puck (red) were rimmed around the boards in a clock wise fashion, you can see that the defensive (green) player may be the first to the dots but the offensive player (yellow) would be first the puck. That is what matters in hybrid icing.

They're still racing, and in situations where it's close the refs let the play continue. This simply eliminates the times when a player has a clear lead but is likely to be boarded or hit from behind in touching up.

Sound like a good idea.  As for the original six, they weren't as fast and big back then and didn't board each other as much.

I agree. They played football without real helmets back in the day; doesn't mean we should play it that way now.*

My Dad met Gordy Howe.  My Dad was a plumber and they were renovating Boston Garden back in 1971.  The Red Wings were in town.  Gordy was far more interested in sitting with the plumbers on their lunch break than practicing.  My Dad said he was funny and told some great stories.  He also showed them how he would hold the butt end of the stick and jam it into the ribs of they guy he was checking into the boards.

We were all playing hockey at the time and practiced that move!!  Gordy was sneaky tough.  Great player.

He also met all the Big Bad Bruins of the time.  We were fanatics back then.

GMs are in favor, I hear.

I can't think of a single good reason not to implement it. Hockey is more dangerous today than it used to be, and the rules should change accordingly.