The NHL and NHLPA "have concluded 'extensive discussions' on a variety of issues related to potential expansion, including the basic structure of an expansion draft," although the "most important decision -- whether to officially commit to adding more teams to the league -- has yet to be made," according to sources cited by Pierre LeBrun of ESPN.com. An important development "still to be decided" is when the owners executive committee will "make a formal recommendation on expansion, and what that recommendation will be." The "likeliest scenario continues to be that the committee recommends expansion to Las Vegas." LeBrun: "I would bet that the executive committee will make its recommendation before the end of May" (ESPN.com, 4/29).
GLOBAL APPEAL: In Boston, Stephen Harris wrote real doubts are "emerging on whether the NHL will be willing to shut down for three weeks at midseason and send its players halfway around the world" for the '18 PyeongChang Games. The "wild card in the whole situation is the Hockey World Cup," which will "be of crazy importance in Canada." Harris: "But will a U.S. audience tune in to watch?" That is "mighty questionable, considering that sports fans south of the border will be focused" on MLB's postseason and the start of the NFL season. The NHL could "need the Olympic exposure -- even if it does mean spending a big pile of cash, shutting down the league at midseason and inflicting some major jet lag on many of its biggest stars" (BOSTON HERALD, 5/1).
MAY MADNESS: In N.Y., Larry Brooks noted the Penguins and Capitals have the two best records in the Eastern Conference, but are "facing one another in the second round of the playoffs because, for no good reason, two years ago the NHL abandoned the re-seeding that made its tournament the most equitable in pro sports." The re-seed was "dropped so the NHL could promote some silly 'bracket' contest on its website and network, as if the Stanley Cup playoffs could somehow piggyback off March Madness" (N.Y. POST, 5/1).
