NHL recommends hockey ops makes goalie interference calls

NHL general managers have officially recommended a change to the goaltender interference rule, agreeing to leave video reviews up to the league's hockey operations department rather than on-ice referees, commissioner Gary Bettman announced Wednesday.

The team responsible for making the calls would consist of former officials in Toronto's situation room, but the proposed rule is still pending approval by the NHL's Board of Governors and the Competition Committee.

"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," Bettman said in a statement.

"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."

There's no word yet on when the change could be instituted, though it could happen by the playoffs, per Stephen Whyno from The Associated Press.

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