With the NHL general managers meeting in Palm Beach, Fla., this week, expect plenty of serious discussions, although there will still be plenty of time to play golf.
There are several hot topics on the agenda, and this week’s meetings provide an important forum for every CEO to be heard. Heated debates are expected, although generally no firm changes are made. That could happen later, before the start of the 2024-25 season.
The groundwork for any future changes will take place this week in Florida.
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3 Hot Topics to Discuss at NHL GM Meetings
3. Suspension standards
All eyes will be on NHL head of player safety George Parros at general managers meetings. Many general managers have questions about the standard of suspensions in the NHL. TSN insider Darren Dreger has similar questions for the former NHL executive.
“We know that general managers have questions. They have concerns,” Dreger said. mentioned. “Consistency is always in question. Why does a suspension last five games? Another suspension, is that one or two for a similar act? The Department of Player Safety will be criticized (this) week.
This is a seemingly arbitrary decision-making process. But finding a better solution would prove extremely difficult, one might think.
2. Reserve for long-term injured
Another hot topic following the NHL trade deadline is the use of Long Term Injured Reserve (LTIR). Once again, the Vegas Golden Knights are using this to their advantage, as they have in the past. Vegas put Mark Stone on LTIR, opening up $9.5 million in salary cap space that they used to land big names like Tomas Hertl, Noah Hanifin and Anthony Mantha. Stone, who a lacerated spleenreturning in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, his contract will not count against the salary cap, creating a very strong Golden Knights team looking to win another championship.
Stone’s injury is legitimate and the Golden Knights are working properly under LTIR rules. But this isn’t the first time they’ve done something like this. The Tampa Bay Lightning did the same thing, putting Nikita Kucherov on LTIR after hip surgery in 2020-21 before activating him in the playoffs en route to winning the Stanley Cup. Although this is legal under the CBA, questions are raised. This will certainly be discussed by NHL general managers in meetings this week.
1. 3-on-3 Overtime Rules
The 3-on-3 overtime has provided some incredible moments and great action since its adoption before the 2015-2016 season. However, teams sometimes took a more cautious approach, removing the puck from the offensive zone in order to set up a different play. Sometimes they go all the way back into their defensive zone. This defeats the purpose of 3-on-3 overtime, which is supposed to be fast and chaotic.
One potential rule change could be an “over and back” system seen in sports like lacrosse and basketball. Once the puck has crossed center ice, it cannot be deliberately returned beyond the red line. This is just a hypothesis, but we will definitely discuss it this week.
NHL teams and their general managers want to promote fast-paced, exciting play. Then again, they just want to win games and the two points that go with it. This will be a difficult discussion.
