NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly at this week's GM meetings is expected to talk about "some of the work that’s been going on behind the scenes" about possible expansion, including a "contingent plan to put together what would be the expansion draft process," according to TSN's Bob McKenzie. The GMs "want to know what impact expansion might have in terms of their roster composition.” The NHL has retained former Canucks Assistant GM Laurence Gilman “to work through a lot of process and come up with some stuff,” as well as speaking with some former NHL GMs “to vett and run through the process." McKenzie: "They want to give the GMs some idea of what an expansion draft might look like if they do decide to commit to expansion” (“NHL Live,” NBCSN, 3/14). THE HOCKEY NEWS' Jared Clinton wrote there is "no certainty that expansion is coming to both or either of Las Vegas or Quebec City, but the NHL wants to have a plan in place." The past three expansion drafts "allowed teams to protect either one goaltender, five defensemen and nine forwards or two goaltenders, five defensemen and seven forwards" (THEHOCKEYNEWS.com, 3/14). Meanwhile, Blues GM Doug Armstrong on Sunday said that the league is "looking into 'loosening' the expansion process in order to avoid having potential incoming teams present a 'horse(bleep)' product." Armstrong: "What the league doesn’t want ... is a situation like Atlanta where you give them an expansion franchise, they put a horse(bleep) product on the ice for a decade, then say it’s not a hockey market. How do you know it’s not a hockey market if you’ve never really had a competitive hockey team?" (TORONTO SUN, 3/15).
COUNTING STARS: YAHOO SPORTS' Josh Cooper reported NHL GMs see this season's All-Star Game "as a major success and hope to continue the 3-on-3 format." Red Wings GM Ken Holland: "The feeling was it was probably the best All-Star Game that we've had in maybe 20 years. It was competitive. Players enjoyed the game, they enjoyed the format. The ratings were well above the previous year. So, I think hockey ops will continue to evaluate things, but for the most part, they were very, very positive" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 3/14). TSN's McKenzie said while the NHL and NHLPA will have to sort out the All-Star Game format, there is "no question where the general managers and the league come down on this." McKenzie: "They thought the last All-Star Game was amongst the most very successful ever." However, there "may be some provisions in the future that would limit the ability to put somebody like John Scott in the All-Star Game" ("NHL Live," NBCSN, 3/14). NHL Exec VP/Hockey Operations Colin Campbell said, "It couldn’t have gotten worse than it was from Columbus (in 2015). Columbus tried its best to be a great host, but that game was so bad that we had to do something" (POSTMEDIA NEWS, 3/14). TSN.ca's Frank Seravalli noted GMs "discussed the possibility of increasing the suspension or penalty" for players skipping All-Star weekend, but "no decision was made" (TSN.ca, 3/14).
CHALLENGE ON THE PLAY: The CP wrote the coach's challenge is "getting good reviews" from NHL GMs. Support was "strong amongst the 30 GMs, who see the added opportunity to get a goal call right as beneficial for the game." Blue-line cameras are "intended to further aid clubs in determining whether to challenge a goal on account of offsides" (CP, 3/14). TSN.ca's Seravalli reported NHL GMs yesterday decided that they will "not be tweaking the coach's challenge system for the remainder of this season" The "one addition" is that two blue-line cameras will be installed at "all 16 playoff arenas." The NHL "tested those cameras at the All-Star Game and the last two outdoor games and was pleased with the results" (TSN.ca, 3/14).
NORTH HEADS SOUTH: The CBC's Tim Wharnsby wrote hockey-related revenues (HRR), which "determine the annual salary-cap threshold, will be severely damaged with no Canadian teams in the playoffs." The league will "find out in June where the salary cap will sit for next season," but even if the NHLPA implements the 5% escalator, there "won't be much salary-cap relief." HRR already has been "hit hard by the low Canadian dollar." The seven Canadian teams' ticket prices are "among the highest in the league, and those inflate for each playoff round, meaning the league will miss out on that extra revenue" (CBC.ca, 3/14).
