NHL Will Add Blueline Cameras in the Playoffs

The National Hockey League will be adding cameras to the bluelines in all 16 arenas for the 2016 playoffs.

During the first day of the general managers’ meeting in Boca Raton, Florida, NHL Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations, Colin Campbell made the announcement. Campbell said, “That is one in season tweak we can make. It is not a rule change; it is just helping make the process better.”

During the 2016 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series last month in Minneapolis and Denver, and the 2016 NHL All Star Game in Nashville, the league experimented with the camera placements. In regards to the technology, Campbell added “It has been great.”

Team personnel will also have access to the video, to help them decide whether to request a coach’s challenge for a missed offsides call. There have been 216 challenges this season, with 55 goals being overturned as a result of the challenge. Of those challenges 138 have been for goaltender interference and 78 for offsides. 

The coach’s challenge was instituted prior to the start of the 2015-2016 season and a team must have their timeout to request a challenge. Philadelphia Flyers General Manager, Ron Hextall said, “I think the really big mistakes that were being made are out of the game and I think it is good.”  

Other than the discussion of the placement of the cameras, the discussion also revolved around where the league was in terms of the actual review process. Campbell said, “It is not an easy thing to wrap your arms around. We get a lot of calls from coaches all year long, they just want to know, and not just their games, why was this call made this way?” He added, “They say ‘I want to know going forward when I use my coach’s challenge.’”

There was also some discussion about moving part of the review process to the Situation Room in Toronto, which handles traditional goal reviews. Currently the referees use high definition tablets located at the scorer’s table, to make the ruling on the challenges. There are some general managers that believe Toronto is better equipped to make the call as they have the better or more superior technology. 

The general managers are not ready to make any immediate change to the review process just yet. Ken Holland, General Manager of the Detroit Red Wings said, “The Process is working as planned, we will go through the stretch run in the playoffs and then we will look at it again when the season is over at our June meetings.”