Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Changes to NHL rules could be passed down

Las Vegas Wranglers goaltender Marc Magliarditi has started adapting to his new career as he begins a summer job as a real estate agent.

But when hockey starts in the fall, he may have to learn the ropes of working in front of the net all over again.

The NHL is expected to approve new rules that would make goalie equipment smaller, and the ECHL is likely to follow suit.

"Obviously it's going to make my job that much harder," said Magliarditi, a nine-year hockey veteran. "I've gotta be honest... since it's league and hockey wide, I don't have a problem with it. It'll take some adjustment, getting used to smaller equipment or a bigger net."

Some of the rules changes proposed by the NHL, such as eliminating tie games in favor of shootouts and establishing tag-up offsides, have already been in place in the ECHL for years.

ECHL commissioner Brian McKenna said Thursday that his league's rules committee would consider any rules changes implemented by the NHL.

"I don't think we implement all the rules simply because the NHL does it," McKenna said. "I still think we look at them individually and decide if it makes the most sense for our league."

Magliarditi, who served on a committee with other American Hockey League and ECHL goaltenders to consider rules changes affecting net play, said the hardest part will be adjusting to giving up extra goals every night.

"Initially it probably won't be mentally easy for me to handle," he said. "As long as I'm giving up two or three goals, and the guy across from me is giving up four or five, I can handle that."

He said goaltenders who have used the smaller equipment said the trade-off is that it helps to increase netminders' agility.

With the ECHL already ahead of the curve on overtime rules and no-touch icing, McKenna said his league might consider other options in preseason games for implementation in future seasons.

"We don't want to move too fast," he said. "We're quite happy with our on-ice product right now. We're always looking to refine and improve, but we don't want to do anything rash, either."

Some proposals the NHL considered but is unlikely to immediately implement include use of a larger net and elimination of the red line.

The ECHL's Board of Governors will hold a conference call today to discuss the Grizzlies' proposed jump. From the Salt Lake City suburb of West Valley City, the Grizzlies had problems with travel in the AHL. The closest AHL cities to Salt Lake are Chicago and Houston, and the bulk of the teams are in the Northeast.

The Grizzlies were initially in the now-defunct International Hockey League, which also featured Long Beach and San Diego, both current ECHL teams, as well as franchises in Las Vegas and Phoenix.

"We're certainly excited about the possibility," McKenna said. "It's a great building, a good traditional hockey market, and an old rival of Las Vegas in the IHL. I think all those markets and fans would welcome having Utah back in the league."

Utah would also be the 11th western team in the ECHL. The league adds expansion franchises in Stockton, Calif. and Phoenix next year.

"If we do proceed with Salt Lake it would make sense to look at breaking up the division into a five-team and six-team division," McKenna said.

The highlight was the acquisition of forward Charles Linglet from Alaska, acquired in exchange for defenseman Ryan Gaucher in a March 22 trade. Linglet had 62 points last year, scoring 28 goals.

Steve Munn was sent to Las Vegas from Augusta to complete a Feb. 23 trade that sent Regan Darby and Doug Wright to the Lynx for center Matt Dzieduszycki. Dzieduszycki, who scored seven points in eight games last year with the Wranglers, has signed in Europe and will not return. Munn, a defenseman, played for Trenton later in the season and helped the Titans to the Kelly Cup championship. He had a plus-12 rating with the Titans last season.

Forward Nathan Martz was sent to the Wranglers from Long Beach, where he scored 16 goals and 35 assists in 67 games last season. His plus-34 rating was best for an ECHL rookie. In that trade, the Wranglers sent goaltender Sebastien Centomo to the Ice Dogs for Martz and goalie Chris Madden, who was then sent to Florida.

The Everblades sent center Keith Anderson to Las Vegas in exchange for Madden. In 43 games last season with Florida, Anderson had 13 goals and seven assists.

archive