There were no surprises Tuesday afternoon at Toronto's Regal Constellation Hotel, the site of the NHL's first-of-its-kind meeting between the league's hierarchy, team general managers, head coaches and on-ice officials.

Commissioner Gary Bettman, with the help of VP of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell and Director of Officials Andy van Hellemond, informed those in attendance of the revised standards for obstruction and interference. Bettman and Co. also spoke about the implementation of the hurry-up faceoff rule and issued a reminder to clubs concerning behavior towards referees and linesmen.

The three-hour meeting was called for one simple reason: to get everyone on the same page heading into the new season. And, to that end, the meeting seems to have been a success.

"The league wanted to clarify the standard and re-enforce its commitment to these changes," said Calgary GM Craig Button, who, like most of his colleagues, headed straight for the airport following the meeting.

"I think it was a great idea to have everybody in the same room before the season starts," Button continued. "This is a process. Certainly, things don't change overnight. But, I feel, we are going in the right direction."

In recent years, the NHL has made several attempts to crackdown on obstruction and interference. But, in each instance, the tougher standard wasn't applied throughout the season.

This time, though, Bettman & Co. insist the changes will be enforced.

By the league's new definition, obstruction is any tactic by a player who tries to or does restrain an opponent who is not in possession of the puck. According to the new standard, obstruction also occurs when a player physically prevents an opponent from moving in the direction that he wishes to go.

In this directive, the league also wanted to make it clear that a defending player can not take one hand off his stick and use it to hold, pull, tug or grab the body or stick of an opponent. This season, a defending player will be penalized if he uses his stick to impede an opponent unless he is skating in front of or beside the opponent and moving in the same direction.

Similarly, a player chasing an opponent who is pursuing a loose puck cannot use his stick on that opponent and "slingshot" himself ahead of the skater he was pursuing. If a player uses this "water-skiing" approach, he will receive a penalty.

If the NHL actually follows through with its crackdown, then Tuesday's meeting will be remembered as a turning point in the direction of the sport. If, however, the league again fails to follow through on this commitment, then the meeting will have proved to have been a colossal waste of time and money spent in airline tickets.

E.J. Hradek writes hockey for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at ej.hradek@espnmag.com.