TORONTO -- Hybrid icing will be in effect for the start of the 2013-14 NHL regular season after it was approved by the players. Kirk Mclean Jersey . The NHLPA gave the go-ahead for the rule change that makes icing a race to an imaginary line across the faceoff dots instead of the puck, which was given a trial run during the pre-season. The goal is to prevent serious injuries, like the one that sidelined Carolina Hurricanes defenceman Joni Pitkanen for the entire season. Pitkanen broke his left heel bone in eight places on an icing touch-up in April. Its a similar injury to the one suffered by former Washington Capitals forward Pat Peake, whose career ended not too long after. "After testing hybrid icing during the pre-season games, the players participated in a survey and a majority of teams supported this rule change in an effort to make the game safer," NHLPA special assistant to the executive director Mathieu Schneider said in a statement. "We are hopeful that the implementation of the hybrid icing rule, which is a middle ground between the old rule and no-touch icing, will help minimize the incidence of player injuries on icing plays." Some players seemed happy with the change. "I think its good. It kind of brings the race a little bit further away from the end boards," Toronto Maple Leafs winger James van Riemsdyk said. "Once they do blow it or decide what to do with it, it gives you more time to react." Others expressed some doubts about hybrid icing, most notably hesitancy or unfamiliarity on the part of the linesman who has to make the call. "The normal reaction is right away Oh, we dont like it," Calgary Flames coach Bob Hartley said. "If the hybrid icing saves one injury this year, its worth it." NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr said in a phone interview last week that he hopes hybrid icing represents "an obvious safety improvement (that is) not otherwise damaging to the game," but conceded that its different from his vantage point and players. "Its going to require adjustment and while weve seen it ultimately work in college and in other leagues, its not the same as playing in the NHL, and were going to have to watch it very carefully because our game is played at a higher speed than anywhere else," commissioner Gary Bettman said. The AHL experimented with it last season during the NHL lockout, and it came with mixed reviews from players. Hartley said AHL coaches hated it for the first two weeks and loved it by Christmas. Its possible it takes time for NHL players and coaches to embrace it now. "Theres going to be some missed calls," Hartley said. "Its kind of a grey area. Its a judgment call and every time you create a judgment call, theres going to be some calls going your way or against you, calls you like and dont like." Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty expressed concern about a missed call happening at the worst possible time. "I know you want to protect the players and this is a step in the right direction, but Im just scared that that Game 7, game-winning goal is going to come down to a hybrid icing non-call and theres going to be a big uproar about it," he said. Maple Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf prefers the traditional race to the puck over hybrid icing, but says he can live with the change. "I think for me personally its just what Ive been used to how the games been played for a long time, so obviously its an adjustment," Phaneuf said. "Youre going to adapt to either way." 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Bell Medias 12-year partnership with the Ottawa Senators includes five major components: - English-language regional television broadcast rights for TSN – a minimum of 52 regular season and pre-season games - French-language regional television broadcast rights for RDS – a minimum of 40 regular season and pre-season games - English-language broadcast rights for TSN Radio 1200 – all games - French-language radio broadcast rights – all games - Telecommunications and retail sponsorship and activation rights "We recognized early on that our regional broadcast rights coming up for renewal was a very important asset," said Senators owner Eugene Melnyk. http://www.cheapcanucksjerseys.com/?tag=adidas-derek-dorsett-jersey . - The Clippers have signed guard Dahntay Jones to a second 10-day contract.UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- Scottie Upshall and the Florida Panthers have had little to celebrate this season. But four unanswered goals to secure a 5-3 win over the New York Islanders was reason enough to savour the moment. Upshall scored twice in the third period as part of the four-goal outburst as the Panthers snapped a four-game losing streak and sent the Islanders to yet another discouraging loss Sunday. Upshalls 11th of the season broke a 3-3 tie at 10:31 of the final period. The goal came on the rebound of shot by Shawn Mattias, who also scored two goals for the Panthers. Upshall tapped the loose puck past backup goaltender Anders Nilsson, who started in place of Evgeni Nabokov. He scored again at 15:26 on the power play to make it 5-3. Tim Thomas made 35 saves for the Panthers (23-31-7). "We came out determined in the third," said the 30-year-old Upshall, a first-round pick by Nashville in 2002 who almost completed a natural hat trick with two minutes left. "We needed a spark and we found it. And we played with an edge." The Islanders entered the third with a 3-1 advantage after Thomas Vanek scored twice in the first and Ryan Strome added a goal late in the second. But Floridas Marcel Goc and Matthias scored early in the third to tie the game at 3 before Upshalls late scores. Vanek opened the scoring at 6:41 with his 20th of the season and added his 21st on the power play at 7:39. The goals were his first since Jan. 25. Vanek was a major acquisition by the Islanders from Buffalo on Oct. 27 and has 17 goals in 47 games for New York. The Austrian left wing said he wants to test free agency this summer. Thus, the Islanders might try to trade him before Wednesdays deadline while they can still garner assets in return. The Islanders lost for the ninth time in 11 games. And it was the 12th time in their disappointing season in which they surrendered a two-goal lead, winning only two of those contests. "We seem to find ways to lose," said Andrew MacDonald, also a pending free agent who could be traded. "Its tough to see games slip away. When you get the lead, you should be able to hold it, most of the time. Cheap Adidas Canucks Jerseys. Its discouraging." MacDonald also addressed the idea he could be leaving the only NHL organization he has known. "I thought about it today, it weighs on your mind," the 27-year-old defenceman said. "You try not to let it get to you." After Matthias scored for Florida to make it 2-1 at 18:15 of the second, Strome restored the two-goal margin for the Islanders 59 seconds later with his second of the season. Gocs 11th of the season at 3:16 of the third came on a 40-foot floater from just inside the left point to make it 3-2 early in the third. Matthias scored his second of the game and ninth of the season at 4:18. The afternoon matchup was chippy from the start. Rival tough guys Krys Barch of the Panthers and the Islanders Eric Boulton squared off 2:25 into the game. Eight seconds later, a skirmish ensued between Brian Strait of the Islanders and Jonathan Huberdeau of Florida. "We didnt quit, we stayed involved," added Matthias. "We played a real gritty game and were glad to get the two points." The Islanders beat Toronto in overtime last Thursday in their first game back following the Olympic break. But they were drubbed 6-1 on Saturday by the New Jersey Devils as Jaromir Jagr scored his 700th career goal. The Islanders played without defenceman Travis Hamonic, suspended one game for instigating a fight near the end of Saturdays loss. NOTES: The Islanders activated forward Frans Nielsen before the game and sent Mike Halmo to AHL Bridgeport. Nielsen, who has 18 goals, suffered a broken hand when he was slashed against Colorado on Feb. 8. ... The Islanders (23-32-8) head out for a four-game Canadian road trip -- Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver before returning home to face San Jose on March 14. ... The Panthers have played 30 one-goal games this season, with a 12-11-7 mark. ... Florida was without forwards Alex Barkov (knee) and Tomas Kopecky (upper body) while the Islanders also missed forward Matt Martin (lower body). ... Florida scratched captain Ed Jovanovski and forward Scott Gomez. ' ' '