Today, the NHL Board of Governors ratified the new collective bargaining agreement. Each clubs payroll cannot exceed $39 million, including signing and performance bonuses. Along with ending the 310 day lockout, the NHL has made some rule changes, some I like and some I don’t. For starters, a two line pass now has to cross BOTH blue lines. They ignore the red center line. They did this to speed up the game but I didn’t think there were that many penalties for two line passing being made. They’ve also changed offsides. Now, if a player goes offsides, he can get back to the blue line and at least get a skate on it before the puck crosses over, then he is no longer offsides. This rule I’m okay with. They’ve added an instigator rule so that any player who instigates a fight in the final five minutes of a game will receive a game misconduct and an automatic one-game suspension. The length of suspension would double for each additional incident. They’re also making the goaltenders equipment 11% smaller. Martin Brodeur, the goaltender for the New Jersey Devils is one of the players that was for the smaller equipment. There will be no more tie games in hockey anymore. If the game is still tied after overtime, there will be a shootout to determine the winner. It’s going to be a little strange not seeing a tie column in the newspaper. Now, I’ll have to wait till I can buy tickets to see the Devils play the Rangers either at Continental Airlines Arena or at Madison Square Garden.