How NHL Rule Changes Could Affect Future Odds and Betting Markets

Rule changes are a common occurrence in sport, helping to keep gameplay exciting, improve safety and maintain fairness. Over time, advances in technology and greater availability of data can influence rules to introduce improvements.

Many sports have been around in some form for over a hundred years and longer, and if you think about how much has changed in the world in this time period, it is understandable why rule changes are necessary. We now have safer sporting equipment to protect players, we know more about injury risks and preventions, and tech is available that can make accurate decisions that the human eye could easily miss.

In the NHL there has been a huge number of changes since the sport first became popular, for example, the curvature of sticks was limited in rules introduced in the 1970s, as the previous designs with excessive curves provided less control and were ultimately more dangerous. This rule change resulted in improved shot accuracy but rather than causing an increase in goals, shots became more predictable for goaltenders.

Another major change from the earlier days of ice hockey was the improvements in goalie safety padding, with larger pads and chest protectors increasing the amount of space taken up the goalie. This led to a reduction in goals from around the late 1990s, so rule changes can often have a significant impact on the game and as a consequence, betting markets.

Upcoming Rule Changes for the 2026/27 NHL Season

There have been some smaller rule changes in recent years but the 2026/27 NHL season will bring some more significant changes. One of the big headlines is that the schedule for the standard season will increase from 82 games to 84. 

Impact of Increased Number of NHL Games

The most obvious impact this will have on the betting market is that there will be more games to place bets on. Two additional games might not sound like a major difference but across 32 teams, this means there will be an extra 64 games across the NHL to bet on.

Extending the number of games will also impact betting options such as most goals or assists scored in the season. The extra games also mean higher numbers of season points and shots, so sportsbooks will adjust odds for these betting markets to reflect this.

One factor that might not appear as obvious is the physical knock-on effect of playing additional games. NHL players are already playing an intense schedule of games, usually playing every two or three days. There is also a considerable amount of travelling to away games which can affect recovery. Therefore, the additional games could lead to more injuries if the extra physical demands are not managed effectively.

More injuries or resting players more often could cause greater variance in results and could also make it harder for players to reach scoring and other statistical milestones. 

Fatigue can also lead to unpredictability and franchises with stronger roster depth will generally benefit the most, so this is also likely to lead to NHL odds adjustments from sportsbooks in the coming season.

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Playoff Salary Cap Rule Changes

Another big change for the 2026/27 season is the playoff salary cap aimed at preventing teams from exploiting Long Term Injury Reserve loopholes. This will likely add more stability to the playoff outcomes and sportsbooks will not be drawn into urgent re-pricing based on LTIR surprises.

The results will have more dependence on roster depth rather than roster manipulation and the playoffs will be more closely aligned with the performances over the season. In the betting markets, depth-player shots and points bets will have more relevance.

Neck Protection Changes

A major safety gear change is incoming, with cut-resistant neck guards required to be worn by players with no previous NHL experience. Veterans will not be required to wear the gear but over time, the change will mean that eventually all players will be wearing neck-guards. 

It is yet to be revealed whether the additional safety gear will have much impact on the mobility of players but even small gear adjustments mean carrying slightly more weight. However, the design should ensure there are minimal changes to movements such as looking over shoulders and checking angles.

Conclusion

The upcoming rule changes in the NHL will bring numerous adjustments to sports betting markets but bettors who comprehensively understand the consequences of changes such as additional games will benefit from being able to find good value bets. Changes to the playoff salary cap may also benefit bettors who prefer stable bets compared to bettors who like to bet on underdogs and long odds.

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