NHL and GMs Discuss Overtime Overhaul
Today, the NHL Board of Governors met in Boca Raton, Florida. On the agenda were a number of proposed changes. One of the hot buttons on the agenda was on reducing games that were decided by shootouts.
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Commissioner Gary Bettman has gone on the record stating that he’s a fan of them. He has argued that market research has stated that the fans like the shootout, and he sees no reason to change them. He still believes the shootout should be a part of hockey.
“The consensus in the room, overwhelmingly, is we’re not getting rid of the shootout. It was, how do you reduce the number of games that go to the shootout, keep the shootout special?” – NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman on keeping the shootout
Maybe it’s just me, but I have to wonder if the NHL has ever done a real serious sampling of the majority of the Boston Bruins fans who utter loathe the shootout. Most of the GMs are also in disagreement with Bettman. They feel that a game ending in a shootout is more of a skills competition than a hockey match.
The shootout has been in place in the NHL since the 2005-06 season. This was done to take ties out of hockey. In that first season, around twelve percent(11.79%)games were resolved in a shootout. As the seasons went on, the percentage began to slowly rise. This season, 257 games have reached overtime. Of those OT games, 110 have been decided by 4-on-4 play, and 147 in the shootout. That makes the percentage 14.12%. That’s one in every seven games played.
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There two different overtime formats discussed today. The first was a straight five minute period of 3-0n-3 hockey. The other was the current model in use by the American Hockey League. The format is designed around a seven minute overtime. The overtime period is played 4-on-4 for three minutes, and then switches to 3-on-3 for the remainder of the overtime period.
“We’re going to look at both variables and figure out which one, collectively with the Competition Committee, we think makes the most sense. And then, ultimately, it’s subject to Board of Governor approval,” Commissioner Bettman said.
While some GMs have favored the AHL model, a NHL 3-0n-3 would look different than an AHL match.
“You’re dealing with more experienced players, much more talented players, coaches which may come up with different sort of plans,” said Colin Campbell, NHL senior VP of hockey operations. “In the AHL, most coaches have used two forwards and one defenseman. Some have used three forwards. But Campbell said: “I think you’re going to see a lot different results and different ways games are played than we see in the American Hockey League.”
Any potential changes to the rules need to be gone over and be ratified by the NHL-NHLPA Competition Committee. That committee is made up of representatives from the NHL, the players’ union, and the Board of Governors. The next time the committee and the Board of Governors would meet would be this upcoming June.