IHL Add New Rules

By Andrew Bourgeois
The IHL’s annual summer meeting in Chicago concluded with a number of rule changes for the upcoming IHL season, also new board members were elected.
With the loss of the Long Beach Ice Dogs to the WCHL and the Michigan K-Wings the IHL’s Board of Govenors sat in Chicago to discuss numerious changes to the league for the 2000-01 IHL season. One of the first things the board looked at was the alignment of the league. Last season the league split the teams into 2 conferences, with the Eastern Confernce consisting of teams with full NHL affiliations, and with the Western Conference with teams with partial affiliations or no affiliations at all. The Conferences basically remain the same with Kansas City and Utah being the only 2 teams in the west with full affilations. This is the alignment of the league for the 2000-01 season.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Cincinnati Cyclones
Cleveland Lumberjacks
Detroit Vipers
Grand Rapids Griffins
Milwaukee Admirals
Orlando Solar Bears

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Chicago Wolves
Houston Aeros
Kansas City Blades
Manitoba Moose
Utah Grizzlies


The league also looked at a new playoff structure which will be discussed with the Professional Hockey Players Association. With the new format eight teams will qualify for the playoffs, including the top four teams in each conference. However, in the event that the fifth place team from either conference has more points than the fourth place team in the other conference, that team will be allowed to cross-over and become the fourth seeded team in the other conference. There will be three series and all will be best-of-seven.


The IHL’s way of deciding a tie was with the shootout but now the league has implemented a 5 minute 4 on 4 which conforms to all the rules of the NHL’s overtime format. However if after the 5 minute 4 on 4 still has produced no winner a shootout will decide the winner. Each team will have 3 shooters aside and if necessary a sudden death shootout.


The Governors also discussed changing the present instigator rule and the rule affecting team strength when coincidental minor penalties are called. Both rule changes may be in effect for the 2000-2001 season after further discussion by the General Managers. In addition, the act of “slew-footing” was added to the IHL rulebook calling for a five-minute major, a game misconduct and an automatic review from the league office.


And finally the league elected a new Board of Govenors which include Dan DeVos, principle owner of the Grand Rapids Griffins and Kansas City Blades, was re-elected as chairman of the board and re-elected as Vice Chairman was Mark Chipman of the Manitoba Moose. Chuck Watson of the Houston Aeros was elected as a first time vice chairman/treasurer.

IHL FASTFACTS



The Admirals were formed in 1970, playing as an independent amateur team. One of the owners at the time, Erwin Merar, owned an appliance dealership and decided to name the hockey team after his top-selling line, which happened to carry the brand name of “Admiral.”

IHL TEAMS PLACE IN IHL HISTORY



Cincinnati Cyclones: Cincinnati was also the home
                     to the 5 time IHL Turner Cup
                     Champions the Mohawks from
                     1952-1958.

TODAY IN HOCKEY



July 17,1956 New York Islanders great Bryan Trottier is born.

DID YOU KNOW



Harry “Hap” Holmes is the only goalie to play on 4 different Stanley Cup Champions. Holmes played on 4 different Stanley Cup Champions as a memeber of the 1914 Toronto Blueshirts, 1917 Seattle Metropolitans, 1918 Toronto Arena’s and the 1925 Victoria Cougars.

IHL TRANSACTIONS



Chicago Wolves: Announce that Dave Mackey has
                announced his retirement.
Grand Rapids Griffins: Name Bruce Cassidy as head
                        coach.