CHICAGO -- Picture this: It's late in a heated Blackhawks-Red Wings game when goaltender Marty Turco is bumped by a Detroit player in the crease as the puck sails into the net. As the Wings celebrate, the Hawks scream at officials claiming interference.
Under the current system, all the Hawks and coach Joel Quenneville can do is scream. If former Hawks and current Panthers general manger Dale Tallon has his way, teams would have a recourse in the form of a coach's challenge, similar to the one used in the NFL.
"It's a work in progress, but perhaps a one-time challenge on a goal-related call for each coach would work if you have a timeout left," Tallon told the Miami Herald. "We're just trying to figure something out that doesn't make the game longer and more drawn out. I don't know if it has legs or not. You discuss it, see if it makes sense."
General managers and their assistants will hold their annual fall meeting Tuesday in Toronto, and Tallon's proposal is expected to be heard. Currently, the only play reviewable is whether a puck crosses the goal line, and officials in Toronto decide after watching video replays.
"The last time it was discussed there wasn't much appetite to go in that direction," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said regarding a challenge. "We'll probably see whether or not the view has changed on that. There are a whole host of concerns, particularly in a game that has continuous action like ours. We'd need to determine whether or not it's practical or feasible."
The thought of having a challenge intrigues Quenneville if guidelines were in place to maintain the flow of the game.
"If you have challenges on whether it's goalie interference as the sole criteria, maybe there's something there," Quenneville said. "If you're going to have it for an offside or icing it would go on forever. Maybe something unique could come out of it and it might not be a bad idea."
Also to be discussed at the GM meetings is an idea conceived by the Red Wings' Ken Holland in response to an increase in shootouts. Overtime would be expanded from five minutes to eight, with the first four minutes played four-on-four. If there's no winner, teams would then skate three-on-three before resorting to a shootout.
The percentage of games decided by shootouts rose from 12.9 percent in the 2008-09 season to 15 percent last season.
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