The change would shift the ultimate responsibility on all Coach’s Challenges for Goaltender Interference to the National Hockey League’s Hockey Operations Department in the Situation Room in Toronto and would involve the incorporation of a member of the NHL Officiating Management Team (comprised of former referees) in the decision-making process. In judging such plays, the Situation Room will continue to confer with the on-ice referee who made the original call while all involved review all replay angles available.

Previously, the on-ice referee who made the original call had ultimate responsibility for the final call after consulting with Hockey Operations.

No changes are being made to the standard under which goaltender interference is judged. Nor will any changes be made to the criteria governing whether on-ice calls should be overturned.

“At their annual March meeting, that concluded today, the General Managers overwhelmingly voted to adopt this change to bring an added level of consistency to goaltender interference rulings and add the input of experienced former on-ice officials to the review process,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “While, since the adoption of the Coach’s Challenge, there have been relatively few controversial calls on goaltender interference – perhaps half a dozen of approximately 170 challenges this season – the objective is to be as close to perfect as possible. However, goaltender interference ultimately is a judgment call.

“The video review process was designed to enable our referees to determine, upon viewing video replays, whether to overturn their original calls. In the vast majority of cases, their final decision has concurred with the Situation Room’s view.

“The recommended change is intended to help resolve the rare cases in which the Situation Room and the referees might have different opinions of a particular play and is intended to produce more predictability for our Players and Coaches.”