Hoping to reduce the number of shootouts, the NHL aims to adopt three-on-three overtime for what supporters say will be a more exciting game.
The league’s general managers and the NHL Players’ Association agreed Tuesday to change its regular-season overtime period to three-on-three hockey for five minutes. Assuming approval from the board of governors Wednesday, the measures will be introduced next season.
What are the rules now?
Since the 2005-06 season, a shootout takes place if games remain tied after five minutes of four-on-four play.
| System | Min. 1 | Min. 2 | Min. 3 | Min. 4 | Min. 5 | Min. 6 | Min. 7 | Min. 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NHL (1999-2006) | 4v4 | 4v4 | 4v4 | 4v4 | 4v4 | |||
| NHL (2006-2015) | 4v4 | 4v4 | 4v4 | 4v4 | 4v4 | SHOOT | ||
| AHL (since 2015) | 4v4 | 4v4 | 4v4 | 3v3 | 3v3 | 3v3 | 3v3 | SHOOT |
| NHL (proposed) | 3v3 | 3v3 | 3v3 | 3v3 | 3v3 | SHOOT |
Starting the five-minute OT at three-on-three has worked in Sweden to reduce shootouts. The AHL system, adopted in 2014, was also an important test case for the NHL: Among all games that go to overtime, the AHL cut down on those decided by a shootout by 40 per cent. But players preferred five minutes of three-on-three to the AHL format, according to Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland. “Basically our feeling was that whatever the players wanted we were comfortable with, and that’s basically what we agreed to today,” Holland said Tuesday.
How often do games go to the shootout?
(*Seasons are indicated by year ending, e.g. 2006 for 2005-06. Total number of games in the 2012-13 season was greatly reduced by the NHL lockout. There were 720 games that year, compared with 1,230 in all other years listed.)
Who supports three-on-three?
GMs agreed in March to recommend some sort of overtime change, and players had their say at the competition committee meeting earlier this month. That committee did not reach a consensus, so there was more conversation leading up to this week before three-on-three was the decision.
Supporters of three-on-three hope that, with more open ice during OT, there will be more chances for players to score without needing to go to a shootout. “I think there’s too many shootouts, and the three-on-three, as much as the fans like the shootouts, they’re really going to like the three-on-three,” Ron Hextall of the Philadelphia Flyers said.
“I believe that three-on-three is going to be as entertaining as
a shootout and maybe more entertaining because it’s going to be
team concept,” Holland says. “There’s going to be breakdowns,
two-on-ones, I think there’s going to be some breakaways involved
on three-on-three.”
What else is on the board’s agenda today?
Coach’s challenge: The board is expected to green-light a coach’s challenge system for goals scored on goaltender interference and offside plays. A coach will be able to use a challenge only if he has his timeout left, but not in the final minute of regulation or overtime as those decisions will be decided by the referees. “It gives us more satisfaction that the referees get a second look at a play that might be controversial,” Bryan Murray of the Ottawa Senators said. “I’m sure they’re not always going to be to our satisfaction, but at least it’s a chance now to get it more often correct than ever in the past.”
Salary cap: GMs on Tuesday also learned that the salary cap will be $71.4-million (U.S.) and the floor $52.8-million for next season.
With reports from Associated Press and Globe staff
Editor's note: In overtime, the AHL plays four minutes of four-on-four play, followed by three minutes of three-on-three. An earlier version of this story reversed those numbers.