Posts by Chris Cerullo

NHL GMs discussing 3-on-3 overtime rule changes to decrease number of games ending in shootout

The NHL adopted 3-on-3 overtime before the start of the 2015-16 regular season. Keeping each team to three players opened up even more ice and the back-and-forth action was considered an instant success by fans and players alike. But as time has gone on, players and coaches have found ways to slow the pace down and limit chances against turning overtime more into a game of keepaway.

One primary example is how teams will stop their own forward progress with the puck and rag it back to neutral or the defensive zone if they believe their upcoming offensive-zone entry won’t be successful or the play might go awry. By doing so, the team prevents odd-man rushes to their opposition and allows for safe line changes.

According to Colin Campbell, the league’s current executive vice president and director of hockey operations, team general managers don’t seem to be a fan of that practice as it has led to more games being decided in the less widely-liked shootout. So much so, that they’ve begun brainstorming overtime rule changes to try and end games sooner.

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