NHL GM meetings wrap with discussion of replay

BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) - The NHL general managers have wrapped up three days of meetings with a discussion about increasing video review and rules for shootouts.

NHL vice president Colin Campbell said that one concern regarding an increase in video review is that there is not a unified standard. The number of cameras, and different camera angles available, varies throughout the franchise arenas.

"Video review, we had a discussion, and there were some requests to expand video review and I told them they couldn't be general in those requests, they had to be specific," Campbell said. "There was some appetite to take video review a little farther."

The majority of the meetings this week focused on concern over head hits and the desire to decrease the risk of players getting concussions. There was no change of rules regarding head shots, but tighter enforcement of rules on charging and boarding were recommended.

When it came to video review, Campbell said the ideal would be to place cameras in the net, much like the NHL does for a portion of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

"It's expensive," Campbell said. "We do it for the last two rounds. But there are concerns with it, like every time the net moves the camera needs to be readjusted."

Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke expressed caution about implementing video review.

"Reviews been a good addition for our league, but we have to be careful how far we take it," Burke said. "We've had too many men on the ice penalties. You had an icing that was missed 80 seconds before a goal was scored. ... I think we have to go slowly."

Shootouts were also a topic of conversation on the final day.

"We actually spent a lot of time on the shootout, more time than I ever would've thought, to be honest with you," Penguins GM Ray Shero said. "You start to get into these spinaramas and if the guys is stopping his progress. We have to make sure everybody knows what the rules are.

"I'm actually not a proponent of the spinaramas in the shootout," Shero said. "It's about entertainment, I understand that."