GMs brainstorm on aiding offffffffffffense

Faceoffffffffffffs in slot, 3 points for wins in regulation are ideas.

NHL general managers were thinking outside the box Monday.

On the first day of their annual meetings in Boca Raton, the league’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 as happened last year, when expansion was debated and talk about slimmer goaltending equipment made the rounds.

One such idea would see the two faceoffff circles in each zone removed for one in the slot area — right near the front of the net.

“I thought it was a really cool idea,” Flames general manager Brad Treliving said.

Some resisted the concept, which would eliminate post-faceoffff 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.

A n o t h e r c h a n g e c o n - templated with the goal of improving offffffffffffense 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 offffense, create offense,” Treliving said. “And we give it to our coaches and 10 minutes later they’ve fifigured out a way to kill that idea.

“But if you fifind 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 t wo 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.

“I’m not one who is personally in favor of three-point games,” Maple Leafs general manager Lou Lamoriello said. “But I’m also not in favor of getting a point if you don’t win. I’d rather see the game be 2-and-0 or end up in a tie 1-and-1. Just end up in a tie the way it used to be.”

New Jersey Devils general manager Ray Shero thought the game would be played difffferently if the stakes for points were changed.

“If it’s going to make the game better or more interesting, I’d be all for it,” Shero said.

T h e 3 1 G M s i n c l u d e d George McPhee of the Las Vegas Golden Knights, who start play next season.