As the Tages Anzeiger reports, a committee meeting including, amongst others, representatives of the ZSC Lions, SC Bern, HC Davos and EV Zug will be discussing the merits of the new format this week.
Should they decided to move forward, the League Assembly will have to decide on the matter, maybe as early as the upcoming meeting on November 18. If approved, it could be implemented as of next season. The 5-on-5, 20 minutes format for the playoffs will likely remain untouched.
Another novelty in the NHL - the video challenge for coaches - is met with more criticism. League director Ueli Schwarz, while supporting the notion of the new overtime option, is more sceptical when it comes to the challenge, where coaches can intervene after a goal if they think it was an offside or the goalie has been interfered with.
"We have to take care that we don't end up watching video all the time. This rule means another interruption. The spectators will get impatient," Schwarz explains. However, several clubs seem to be interested and the committee will have to decide if the coaches' challenge will be brought up for a vote in the League Assembly as well. (lcu)
