Report: Competition committee targeting goaltending equipment, floated shot-blocking changes

The NHL's competition committee recommended expanded video review and a change to the faceoff rules earlier this week, but two more subjects were reportedly broached in the meetings.

The committee intends to prepare a proposal that would restrict goaltending equipment to discourage an emphasis on blocking over protection, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported on Hockey Night in Canada's "Headlines" segment Saturday night.

"There will not be time to institute changes for 2015-16, but there is a desire to have a proposal ready in time for the following season," Friedman wrote in Sunday's edition of "30 Thoughts."

The focus would reportedly be on jerseys, chest protectors, and pants.

"The idea is to prevent gear that is more about blocking than it is about protection," he added.

The committee recommended and implemented a decrease in the height of goalie pads prior to last season.

Another notable suggestion was reportedly made this week by Mathieu Schneider, NHLPA special assistant to the executive director and competition committee co-chair.

The former defenseman floated the idea of disallowing certain shot-blocking strategies, multiple sources told Friedman.

Former Montreal Canadiens general manager Bob Gainey proposed the elimination of full-body sliding in the defensive zone in 2008, in an effort to boost offense and allow more shots to get to the net.

Much like those discussions, Schneider's idea was only preliminary and would need to be revisited in future meetings before being approved.