IHL to Adopt Tougher Rules On Fighting

New rules adopted earlier this week by the National Hockey League designed to punish players who interfere with the flow of the game also will be adopted by the International Hockey League.

That’s good news for independent teams, such as the Gulls, that have been busy signing seasoned professionals during the summer, and potentially bad news for affiliated teams that must play more aggressively to keep up.

“A team like San Diego could have benefited from the rules changes last year,” Gull Coach Rick Dudley said. “Especially against a team like Peoria, which clutches and holds a lot.”

The Gulls last year lost to Peoria in the first round of the IHL playoffs.

The most talked about change is the so-called instigator rule, which states that a player deemed to have started a fight will receive a game misconduct, removing the player from the game, plus any other penalty imposed. Additionally, as has been the case in the past, any player assessed three game misconducts will be forced to sit out an additional game.

But Dudley said other changes have the potential to affect the game more significantly. Those include:

-- High sticking, which now can be called any time a player raises his stick above waist level as opposed to shoulder level. This first will be instituted on a trial basis during the exhibition season.

-- Grabbing an opponent’s stick as a defensive tactic.

“One of the crimes in this sport was the elimination of the great players via the hold or grasping of his stick,” Dudley said. “In Buffalo we had a great player, Pierre Turgeon, who was often rendered useless because defensemen grabbed onto him and held onto him until they muscled him into the corner. It was very rarely called. The new rules will change this.”

Tom Berry, IHL commissioner, agreed.

“If you’re skilled,” Berry said, “you should be able to show that skill without being impeded by having your stick held, being hooked in the arms or somewhere else, or having to use one hand to ward off the defender. We’re going to promote the skillful players.”

It also is hoped that the new rules, especially the new definition of high sticking, will deter players who, out of fear of the new instigator rule, might swing their sticks more freely.

“I think we’ll all agree that just by the mere velocity and what they’re made of, sticks are far more dangerous than a guys’ fists,” Berry said. “This is a way of telling players we don’t want you using your sticks as a way of saying, ‘Well, I can’t really fight because I might be the instigator, so I’ll sort of jab this guy with my stick.’ We’re saying if you try that you’re going to be history.”

Somewhat ironically, the leagues will no longer require players to wear helmets, thinking that it could be safer on the ice without headgear. That rule had yet to be universally enforced, anyway, since players who began their careers before 1979 were granted exemptions.

The new rationale is that either consciously or subconsciously players are less likely to bop the heads of opponents who wear no protection.

Another change that should work in favor of the Gulls, Dudley said, is the restoration of coincidental penalties. Four-on-four or even three-on-three play, previously banned, again will be instituted.

“That’s a big one,” Dudley said. “It will be great for us because we will have a very mobile defense.”

The implication is that Dudley--who already has 11 players signed, most with significant NHL experience--will be able to put a better short-handed team on the ice than will other coaches.

Gull Notes

Goalie Sean Burke, long the subject of NHL trade rumors, will be traded within a week, according to his agent. The New Jersey Devils own NHL rights to Burke, who signed a two-year deal with the Gulls last season after helping the Canadian Olympic team to a silver medal. Burke and the Devils have been at an impasse since the 1990-91 season, when the goalie requested a trade. The Devils now have until October to trade Burke or possibly lose rights to him. Team spokesman Dave Freed confirmed that General Manager Lou Lamoriello is working to complete a trade. “Lou has completed no deal with anybody,” Freed said Wednesday. “He is hopeful of being able to complete a trade of Sean in the near future. There are no guarantees that will be tomorrow or next week.” The Record of Hackensack reported Tuesday that Burke was headed to Buffalo for Dave Andreychuk. The San Diego Union-Tribune, which three weeks ago wrote that Burke would join the Kings, on Wednesday reported that Burke will be traded to Philadelphia. “All three of those cities are wrong,” said Herb Pender, Burke’s agent, who added that a deal is imminent. “He’s very close to being traded, but to none of those teams. A trade has to be consummated, and a goalie has to be moved (by New Jersey). It might happen Friday, over the weekend, or on Monday.” In October the waiver draft will be held in which each team can protect only two goalies, a circumstance that is forcing the Devils’ hand.