NHL Governors will meet in Phoenix in early February
"to discuss the possibility of revamping the long-standing
format of games by using four quarters instead of the
standard three periods," according to Grant Kerr of the
Toronto GLOBE & MAIL. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman
disclosed the proposal this weekend in his midseason state-
of-the-union address before the All-Star Game. Bettman: "I
think we're very conservative about change, not radical. We
could experiment with this in the minors or in the
preseason." Kerr added that the concept "apparently comes"
from Fox and would incorporate 12-minute intermissions
instead of the usual 18 minutes "so that all the commercials
can be aired. Traditionalists in Canada likely will oppose
any change in the present game format." Kerr also added
that Bettman "reiterated" that the league is monitoring a
slight drop in scoring this season which will be addressed
again at the February board meeting. Other suggestions for
the game include moving the goal nets further from the end
boards, not letting the goaltender play the puck out of his
crease, eliminating the center red line, changing the
offside rule, mandatory forechecking and downsizing goalie
equipment (GLOBE & MAIL, 1/19). NHL Senior VP Brian Burke
said that the league "plans to experiment with a series of
rules changes in the coming months." The IHL and AHL "will
act as guinea pigs for several of the proposed rule
changes." Fuller also reported that "many NHL owners are
convinced a two-hour hockey game would be more enticing to
the American TV networks." Burke added that games "would
end 16 minutes sooner" in four quarters (TORONTO SUN, 1/18).
REAX: In Toronto, Al Strachan wrote that the new
suggestions "are not all good. While some make sense,
others are far too radical" (TORONTO SUN, 1/18). In N.Y.,
Larry Brooks wrote "the game is in need of far more of a fix
than simply moving the nets two feet farther from the end-
boards. ... If you've been to a rink lately you recognize
the crowd noise as the sounds of silence, and for good
reason. Nothing happens; for minutes at a time" (N.Y. POST,
1/18). In Toronto, Damien Cox, on the four quarter
proposal: "It is the clearest demonstration yet that this
league, specifically commissioner Gary Bettman and his
sheriff Brian Burke, is virtually bankrupt of imagination
and integrity when it comes to caring for the sport" (STAR,
1/19). Anaheim Sports President Tony Tavares: "They're
really barking up the wrong tree. ... You don't need to
change the game that much" (SEATTLE TIMES, 1/19).
FROM THE TOP: Bettman was interviewed on Fox between
periods of the All-Star Game. Bettman, on bridging the gap
between the NHL's Canadian roots and its U.S. expansion: "We
want to keep the game strong in Canada ... but we also need
to be more competitive with the other sports in North
America. Five years ago we were in 11 U.S. markets. By the
turn of the century we'll be in 20. We do great where we
have teams. We just have not had teams in as many places as
the other leagues" ("NHL on Fox," Fox, 1/18).
OTHER NEWS: The NHL Board of Governors voted to
continue the Canadian Assistance Program, according to
Helene Elliott of the L.A. TIMES. The Oilers, Flames and
Senators each received "about" $2.5M last season. Elliott
also reported that the governors voted to donate C$500,000
to assist victims of the recent ice storms in Quebec and
eastern Ontario (L.A. TIMES, 1/18).....Commissioner Bettman
also announced the recipients of the NHL's 10 A.S.S.I.S.T.
grants, totaling $100,000, to youth hockey programs
worldwide (NHL).....The NHL and USA Hockey announced the
appointment of Willie O'Ree, the first black player in the
NHL, to the position of Dir of Youth Development (NHL).
WOMEN'S DAY: Canada defeated the U.S. 2-1 in an
exhibition victory Friday night, before 14,944 at GM Place
in Vancouver, "the largest crowd ever to watch a women's
hockey game" (AP/DETROIT NEWS, 1/17). In Toronto, Jim
Proudfoot called the women's game "the competitive highlight
of the entire three-day festival" (TORONTO STAR, 1/19).