GMs think outside the box on first day of meetings
NHL general managers were thinking outside the box on Monday.
On the first day of their annual meetings in Boca Raton, Florida, the NHL’s 31 general managers were tasked with thinking up ideas for the league for 5 to 10 years down the road.
These weren’t discussions about near-term realities like last year when expansion was being debated and slimmer goaltending equipment chatter was making the rounds.
One such idea would see the two faceoff circles in each zone removed for one in the slot area — or right near the front of the net.
“I thought it was a really cool idea,” Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving said.
Some resisted the concept, which would eliminate post-faceoff puck battles around the boards in favor of those around the front of the net.
That would, at least in theory, boost scoring, an area of concern for the NHL.
Another change contemplated with the goal of increasing offense was a rule preventing shot-blocking. Almost 17,000 shots were blocked last season, led by the Philadelphia Flyers, who turned aside nearly 700.
“We always talk about creating rules to create offense, create offense,” Treliving said. “And we give it to our coaches and 10 minutes later they’ve figured out a way to kill that idea.
“But if you find a way to limit defense and instead of giving them tools for the toolbox take a few out. We spent a lot of time on that today.”
A shift of the point system was also discussed, one that would see clubs awarded three points for a regulation win, two points for an overtime or shootout win and one point for an overtime or shootout loss. The concept would push teams to end games before they get past regulation and beyond that, before a shootout.
Clubs get the same two points for winning in regulation as they do in overtime or a shootout. An extra “loser point” is awarded just for getting to overtime or the shootout, an enticing proposition for parity that keeps more teams in the playoff mix for longer. STARS 4, CAPITALS 2>> Kari Lehtonen made 42 saves and Devin Shore, Radek Faksa and Jason Spezza scored and Dallas continued its puzzling domination of Washington.
Despite struggling this season, Dallas extended its point streak in the series to 12 games and won for the sixth consecutive time in Washington.
The NHL-leading Capitals’ home winning streak snapped at 15 and their point streak at 17. Despite Nicklas Backstrom’s 21st goal and T.J. Oshie’s 25th, they lost in regulation at home for the first time since Dec. 17 and in any fashion at home since Dec. 29. RANGERS 1, LIGHTNING 0 >> Mika Zibanejad scored 3:56 into overtime, Antti Raanta made 38 saves, and New York beat Tampa Bay.
Zibanejad beat Andrei Vasilevskiy during a breakaway. Raanta got his third shutout of the season. SHARKS 3, JETS 2>> Joe Pavelski scored twice and San Jose defeated Winnipeg. Joe Thornton assisted on Pavelski’s empty-net goal to give him 1,000 assists. SENATORS 4, BRUINS 2 >> Mike Hoffman had a power-play goal early in the third period and Ottawa defeated Boston.
Derick Brassard, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Alex Burrows also scored as the Senators extended their winning streak to three games. Craig Anderson made 25 saves.