GMs decide no major changes needed with NHL in 'really good place'

MANALAPAN, Fla. -- After three days of discussions at the NHL general managers meetings, the GMs decided not to recommend any major changes. They even decided not to recommend any tweaks.

All they're going to do is keep thinking about a few tweaks. That's it.
And that, in its own way, is significant.
"Everybody thinks the game's in a really good place," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said as the GM meetings concluded Wednesday, "and it is."
The GM meetings have dealt with problems in the past, such as scoring and checks to the head.
Not this time.
The hot topics, if you could call them that, were video review of pucks over the glass and high-sticking minors, kicked pucks that result in goals and fights after clean hits.
"None of that falls in the category of a problem, and we'll continue to look at them to see what, if anything, makes sense on a change," Bettman said.
The GMs talked about holding players out of the lineup to prevent them from being injured before trades.
"We saw more of that this year than we've ever seen before, but we're not ready to say it's a problem," Bettman said. "It's something we'll keep an eye on."
The NHL isn't being complacent. Quite the opposite. The League holds the GM meetings each year to be proactive.
The GMs always receive a report on the state of the game. Look at a small portion of the data they saw this year (all numbers through 1,050 games):
The NHL is averaging 6.3 goals per game, the highest rate at this stage of the season in 27 years. It's not because of power plays, even though power-play efficiency is at 21.3 percent, the highest since 1988-89. The League projects even-strength scoring to account for at least 75 percent of goals for the 12th straight season.
The League is on pace to have six players score 50 goals, the most since 1995-96, and 19 to score 40, the most since 1993-94. It's on pace to have 59 players score 30 goals. That would be the fourth-most in NHL history.
Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, who has 129 points (56 goals, 73 assists) is on pace to become the first 150-point player in 27 years, and San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson, who has 85 points (30 goals, 65 assists) is on pace to become the first 100-point defenseman in 31 years.

You aren't hearing about the shootout, because 69 percent of games that have gone beyond regulation have ended in overtime, the highest percentage since the shootout era began in 2005-06.
Thanks largely to rule changes, tweaks and interpretations originating at the GM meetings -- such as the illegal check to the head rule, instituted in 2010-11 -- player behavior has changed. We see far fewer dangerous plays.
That doesn't mean the NHL has gone soft, however.
"One of the things we discussed is, the physicality of the game continues to be strong, and in fact, hitting is up over last year," Bettman said. "I know there seems to be this notion that the game isn't as physical as it was years ago. It's not true."
Why didn't the GMs discuss changing the format of the Stanley Cup Playoffs?
The current system has produced a playoff turnover of five or more teams each season, and five teams who didn't qualify for the playoffs last season currently hold a playoff spot.
Going back to the old format, which seeded teams one through eight in each conference, wouldn't necessarily make a difference, anyway. After Feb. 1, the Eastern Conference matchups would have been the same for 29 of 39 days.
"What we've got works really well," Bettman said. "I know that some people may have a preference for doing things differently, but this is working well, and we're not looking to make any changes."
The NHL expects the salary cap to rise $1 million to $83.5 million next season, because the players are still repaying the money they owe the owners in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But Bettman said it is possible the players' debt could be repaid this season if revenues rise enough, lifting the cap $4.5 million instead. But if it doesn't happen this season, it likely will happen next season. And in either case, that is ahead of schedule.
"Listen, we're back from COVID really strong," Bettman said. "I mean, our revenues are approaching the $6 billion range, and they're at an all-time high. Attendance is strong. TV, media revenues are strong. Sponsorship support is great."
No wonder people are talking about expansion again, after the Vegas Golden Knights joined the NHL in 2017-18 and the Seattle Kraken followed last season. The Golden Knights made the playoffs four times in their first five seasons, and they lead the Western Conference this season. The Kraken are poised to make their playoff debut.
"There continues to be a number of people, entities and cities expressing interest in having an NHL franchise where they don't have one, places like Atlanta, like Houston, like Quebec City," Bettman said. "But we're not in an expansion mode right now, and it's not really something at least right now that's anywhere close to front burner for us."
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.