There are two words in the NHL lexicon that will rile up any hockey fan, player, coach, or executive in 2018: goaltender interference.
More than three quarters through the season, everybody is still trying to understand how to interpret the rule, but no one has a clue. The inconsistency and the continuation of coach's challenges has clouded the concept of what differentiates a good goal, an illegal goal, and a penalty.
Controversial calls have already impacted some of the league's biggest names, including Auston Matthews - although he handled it with grace, and arguably the greatest goal celebration of all time - and Connor McDavid more than once. Several coaches have aired their grievances, too - most recently Los Angeles Kings bench boss John Stevens, who called the process a "guessing game" following his club's loss to the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday.
The bottom line is, the playoffs are less than a month away, and you-know-what is going to hit the fan if a questionable call determines the outcome of a series. Goaltender interference is said to be a topic of discussion at the annual league meetings in Boca Raton later this month, but for any change to be instituted before the postseason, it would have to be agreed upon by all parties in short order - something the NHL historically isn't very good at.
So, while fans, coaches, and players pray the next controversial call doesn't cost their team the game - or their season - let's explore some suggestions to remedy the issue going forward.
Take it out of the refs' hands
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The main issue with goaltender interference is it's incredibly subjective. Hockey moves quickly, making it tough to track all of the variables. Who initiated the contact? Was the player pushed? Did the skate that nicked the knob of the goalie's stick really impede his ability to make a save with the opposite leg?
That's for the ref to decide, but that course of action may be less effective with these gray areas. So, why not have a team in Toronto's league office dedicated to making the calls? Much like the league has done with the Department of Player Safety, the team could include people that have been there. Former refs, even former goalies, could surely offer some valuable insight, and would likely instill consistent decision-making.
Adopt the IIHF's rule
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The IIHF has no dilemmas regarding goalie interference, because international rules state: "If an attacking skater establishes position in the goal crease, play will be stopped and the ensuing faceoff will take place at the nearest faceoff spot in the neutral zone."
It might be a radical change, but it would definitely eliminate these controversies. The crease belongs to the goalie, and enforcing a rule to ensure that's the way the game is played is a reasonable proposition.
The rule doesn't have to be adopted verbatim, but it could be a good starting point. Plus, imagine seeing a player score a desperate lacrosse-style goal, lunging through the air while managing to avoid the goalie and the blue paint. Try challenging that, coaches.
No more coach's challenges
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Speaking of challenges, what if they weren't a thing?
Video review is useful for getting things right, but we're well into the coach's challenge era and things are a certified disaster. If a play needs to be reviewed, contact the aforementioned crew of rules experts in Toronto to make the call instead of a grumpy coach who has nothing to lose by demanding a replay.
If goalie interference challenges are taken away, that means offside reviews, which carry a consequence for being incorrectly challenged, will likely be extinguished as well. Is anyone really against that?
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