*Used From Detroit News*
 

• The goal lines will be moved from 11 to 13 feet from the end boards and the neutr zone will be reduced from 58 to 54 feet. This change will increase each end zone to 73 feet in total length.
• The semicircle of the goal crease will be reduced by 2 feet on either side of the goal posts. The sides of the crease will be defined by straight lines.
• The video goal judge will be allowed to call down to the referee to advise that a offensive player is in the crease at the time a goal was scored. The referee would still be able to make the determination as to whether the offensive player was pushed into the crease by the defending team. The previous rule allowed only the referee to request a man-in-the-crease review.
• Two referees will be used in specified games along with the usual two linesmen. Each team will play 20 games (10 at home, 10 on the road) that will be officiated by the two-referee, two-linesmen system. The NHL first introduced a two-referee system in 1933-34 when two referees replaced one referee and one linesman. The league returned to one referee and one linesman from 1938-41, then moved to one referee and two linesmen in 1941-42.
• If the goaltender leaves his crease on a potential icing and feigns playing the puck icing will be waived off.
• A player who leaves the bench to join a fight will no longer be automatically suspended, but the case will be reviewed by the league.
• Any player receiving a major penalty for kneeing will be assessed an automatic game suspension.
• Stricter suspensions will be handed out in cases where a player causes a head injury with his elbows or stick.
• If a player jumps on the ice early on a line change, play will be stopped with the face-off at center ice. A penalty for too many men on the ice will be called if the player entering the game plays an opponent or the puck too soon.

               New homes

                         There will be three new buildings in the league.
 

• The expansion Nashville Predators open Oct. 10 against Florida at the Nashville Arena.
• The Panthers will open their new National Car Rental Center in Broward County, Fla.
• The Toronto Maple Leafs will debut in their Air Canada Centre later in the season after 67 years in Maple Leaf Gardens. Sixteen new arenas have opened in the '90s. The Maple Leafs will also make another significant move, going back in the same divsion (Northeast) with longtime rival Montreal after 24 years apart.

                    New teams

                         Several big-name free agents switched teams:

• Defenseman Steve Duchesne to Los Angeles.
• Forward Ron Francis to Carolina.
• Forward Doug Gilmour to Chicago.
• Forward Brett Hull to Dallas.
• Goaltender Curtis Joseph to Toronto.
• Defenseman Gary Suter to San Jose.
• Goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck to Philadelphia.

                     New coaches

                         Seven teams have a new man behind the bench:

• Robbie Ftorek in New Jersey.
• Dirk Graham in Chicago.
• Bob Hartley in Colorado.
• Craig Hartsburg in Anaheim.
• Terry Murray in Florida.
• Pat Quinn in Toronto.
• Barry Trotz in Nashville.

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