NHL GMs to talk bye-week, offside rule during meetings

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The state of the game in the NHL is on solid ground.

At least that’s the belief by the league’s general managers as they head into their annual meetings from March 6-8. As all 31 GMs of member clubs convene in Boca Raton to discuss NHL on-ice and off-ice business – Vegas Golden Knights general manager George McPhee will be present for the first time at one of these events – the group will be looking at tweaks, and not exactly seismic shifts to the game.

<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="“The league is in a pretty good spot,” Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill said. “I think we’re going to sit down and talk about the state of the game, how to grow it and make it better. I don’t think there are any real hot topics.”” data-reactid=”16″>“The league is in a pretty good spot,” Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill said. “I think we’re going to sit down and talk about the state of the game, how to grow it and make it better. I don’t think there are any real hot topics.”

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That’s not to say that the general managers won’t make any recommendations during the meetings that can change the NHL moving forward. For example, the league’s bye-week has struck a nerve as teams have swooned coming out of it. Also, there is a belief that offside calls need a small change for clarity’s sake.

<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="The coach’s challenge is another topic that could be discussed since it always seems to produce some level of controversy at various points during the season.” data-reactid=”19″>The coach’s challenge is another topic that could be discussed since it always seems to produce some level of controversy at various points during the season.

When so many of the league’s power brokers are in one room, ideas that haven’t been broached yet publicly can be tossed around that could eventually lead to new rules down the road.

Here are some topics that the general managers could bring up and how they could lead to some adjustments moving forward.

The Bye-Week

<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="The maiden season of the bye-week has mostly led to mixed results. The players love it because it gives them a mini vacation in the middle of the season. The general managers and coaches seem to dislike it because it has condensed the schedule and lessened practice time.” data-reactid=”23″>The maiden season of the bye-week has mostly led to mixed results. The players love it because it gives them a mini vacation in the middle of the season. The general managers and coaches seem to dislike it because it has condensed the schedule and lessened practice time.

<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="The biggest issue of the bye-week though is that it seems to put teams coming off their breaks at a clear disadvantage with all combining for a losing rcord. But there is a belief is a scheduling tweak could address the wins and losses issue.” data-reactid=”24″>The biggest issue of the bye-week though is that it seems to put teams coming off their breaks at a clear disadvantage with all combining for a losing rcord. But there is a belief is a scheduling tweak could address the wins and losses issue.

“I think there will be talks about, will it be two teams that have the same bye-week have to play at the same time (when they come back)?” Nill said.

Essentially, this would end the perceived hindrance to teams coming off a bye-week since they’ll be playing groups that also had just been off for several days.

While this would clean up some of the end results of a bye-week, it won’t change some of the management and coaching complaints about the new scheduling quirk and lack of practice time.

But really, how the bye-week is utilized next season depends on if the NHL ends up going to the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. This could also dramatically alter the schedule and make the bye-week a less important issue.

“You know what – is it here to stay? I don’t know what the league and the PA negotiated on, was it a two-year trial run? The Olympics affects it. So are there different scenarios? Yeah there are scenarios that go with it,” Nill said.

Offside Calls

<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="As an outgrowth of the coach’s challenge and trying to figure out how to clearly call offside, the league’s general managers could try to figure out how to better visibly define the rule. USA Today reported that the plane of the blue line could determine offside, which would make for a more conclusive call.” data-reactid=”31″>As an outgrowth of the coach’s challenge and trying to figure out how to clearly call offside, the league’s general managers could try to figure out how to better visibly define the rule. USA Today reported that the plane of the blue line could determine offside, which would make for a more conclusive call.

Rule 83.1 states that, “A player is offside when both skates are completely over the leading edge of the blue line.”

<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="This means if a player’s skate isn’t on the ice and above the blue line, he is offside. A rule change could mean that such a play would be onside, which could also lead to more goals.” data-reactid=”33″>This means if a player’s skate isn’t on the ice and above the blue line, he is offside. A rule change could mean that such a play would be onside, which could also lead to more goals.

Another general manager pointed out that this was discussed last season, but there wasn’t a resolution on a rule change. That could happen this week.

Coach’s Challenge

The coach’s challenge continues to be a hot button issue in the NHL with controversy continuing to pop up every now and then.

<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="This discussion point happened a year ago with the general managers, with a conclusion that the challenge had taken the “egregious” mistakes out of the game. Also, the NHL said it would put in blue line cameras for the playoffs in order to ensure the offside calls weren’t missed. ” data-reactid=”37″>This discussion point happened a year ago with the general managers, with a conclusion that the challenge had taken the “egregious” mistakes out of the game. Also, the NHL said it would put in blue line cameras for the playoffs in order to ensure the offside calls weren’t missed.

While the system is not considered perfect, general managers seem fine with it currently.

“I think the consensus is it works well. The coach has to manage his game … I think the second part is the reason it’s there is ‘let’s make sure we get the right call,’” Nill said. “It’s not totally there yet, but technology is getting there to where we can make better decisions. I think those decisions will come quicker as we move along too as the technology gets better. I think overall I think everybody likes the way the coach’s challenge has worked.”

McPhee Returns, Vegas Represented

<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="The Vegas Golden Knights will finally have a seat at the table at a major NHL meeting. The team completed its $500 million transaction to enter the league, which means McPhee will be able to voice concerns and opinions with his fellow general managers. The Golden Knights were not involved with the most recent Board of Governors meetings because their purchase was not finished.” data-reactid=”45″>The Vegas Golden Knights will finally have a seat at the table at a major NHL meeting. The team completed its $500 million transaction to enter the league, which means McPhee will be able to voice concerns and opinions with his fellow general managers. The Golden Knights were not involved with the most recent Board of Governors meetings because their purchase was not finished.

<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="Recently, McPhee was vocal about the significance of being able to attend these particular meetings.” data-reactid=”46″>Recently, McPhee was vocal about the significance of being able to attend these particular meetings.

“It’s important for us to be at the table at the GMs meetings because there are important decisions regarding the league and all of hockey in general are being made there and Las Vegas should be heard,” McPhee said.

McPhee’s friends in the general manager community were also happy that he would be back at the event and looked forward to seeing him again. McPhee was previously the general manager of the Washington Capitals from 1997-98 through 2013-14.

“It’s going to be nice to see George back here. We’ve seen George on the road out there and we’ve seen him quite a bit so he has been a part of it but now he’s officially back in the saddle here,” Nill said. “He’s a good man who will do a great job for them so it’s going to be nice to get him back in.”

It will also be the first time general managers will go over expansion rules with McPhee in the room, which will Vegas a voice when concerns are raised.

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“I think we all know what the rules are. We’ve kind of known those for the last three or four months. But we’ll probably have a refresher course on it, but it’ll be good to have George back in our room,” Nill said.

Other League Business

<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="At this event last season, NHL sold the general managers on the Showtime all-access series that aired during the last two sounds of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs.” data-reactid=”54″>At this event last season, NHL sold the general managers on the Showtime all-access series that aired during the last two sounds of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

It doesn’t seem like something that groundbreaking involving broadcast will be brought to the table this year, but the league will be presenting an update of the last 150 days and the Centennial events – and updating the general managers on all the events to come on the calendar.

The NHL’s Department of Player Safety will also be present in order to answer any pressing questions by the general managers about rules and suspensions along with other issues in their realm.

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<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content=" Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @joshuacooper” data-reactid=”58″> Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @joshuacooper

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NHL GMs to talk bye-week, offside rule during meetings

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