Day One of the NHL’s annual General Managers meetings got underway at the Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa in Manalapan, Fla on Monday. The day included working group sessions and an opening presser by NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly.
David Poile And A Quiet First Day
The first day of the GM meetings is historically slow with regards to big news items. “I really find that, as the caretakers of the game,” Nashville Predators’ David Poile started after the first three-hour meeting of three scheduled for the week, “we’re more tweaking the game and there’s not those big, huge topics at the moment.”
This was Poile’s 41st season at the helm of an NHL team. He first served for 15 years as GM of the Washington Capitals, and he’s in the process of finishing his 26th year with the Predators. This is his last meeting as a GM, having announced his retirement at the end of February.
Sale Of The Sens
Deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirmed the first round of bids on the sale of the Ottawa Senators has been received. “They’re being evaluated”.
Rule Changes Discussed
The 32 GMs broke out into four groups of eight to discuss a wide range of topics. They will reconvene in a larger group setting Tuesday to go over their findings to determine if they want to take further action. That could be a rule change recommendation, a need for the NHL to emphasize to the officials to enforce the rules are already in place, or to leave well enough alone.
It was also reported that discussions included a potential expansion of video review pertaining to ensuring a high-sticking call or puck-over-glass penalty is merited, They also talked about what could be done to curb fighting after clean hits.
“They can call the instigator penalty, the question is are they calling the instigator as much as they could,” Daly said. “We saw some stats today before we broke out into the groups that 89 percent of the defending-a-teammate fights are fights after clean hits, and 42 percent of those are penalized either with an instigator or some other penalty. It could be unsportsmanlike conduct. It could be a roughing. It depends exactly what the incident requires. The question is are we addressing these plays appropriately? Do we want less of that in the game? If so, how do we get there?
“I’m not going to say it’s a concern because we’ll find out tomorrow whether it really is a concern. But a high percentage of the fights in our league come as retaliation to clean hits.”
Equipment Requirements
The NHL would like to get to a point where cut-resistant equipment is mandated for all new players entering the league, according to deputy commissioner Bill Daly. Talks are ongoing with the NHLPA on that issue.
According to Sportsnet, there was discussion about meeting with the NHLPA to potentially grandfather in cut-resistant equipment as mandatory following a surge in horrifying incidents—from the one earlier this season involving Evander Kane’s wrist to the one late last week involving Tyler Seguin’s knee—as well.
San Jose Sharks GM Mike Grier said he thinks players will resist mandatory cut resistant materials at first because of the comfort level they have wearing other undergarments.
“But hopefully they can get comfortable wearing it and it can help prevent some injuries,” Grier said.
That’s one cushy $$$$ hotel resort…nice to have to attend a meeting there !?!
I haven’t googled yet, but trust your assessment. I think in the past they been at The Breakers, which I know is very cushy as well.
Anxious to hear about RSNs and Cap. Bally is rumored to enter bankruptcy proceedings this week. I think NHL is better positioned than MLB right now for continued viewing — end of the season, playoffs are not RSNs anyway. I think we will see the Bally games through the rest of this season. But who knows next season. And what effect will this have on the salary cap? Even if the GMs’ answer is that they don’t know, they will still need to talk about it.
With ya. That’s a very hot topic, hopefully the subject is pressed and reported.
Manalapan. Pop 419. If they look east out their windows, Bahamas are only 60 miles away. But Publix is just across the street if they want to go grocery shopping.
Interesting stat about fights resulting from clean hits. By whose definition are those hits clean, however? Is he citing penalized hits as being the only ones which are considered dirty? Would Oshie’s hit on Lindgren be considered dirty? I don’t think it was, but it was deserving of a fight. I’d like more clarity on what Daly means here.
Agree, “dirty” is subjective. And if those are good numbers, where did all the penalties go?
I guess this means that the GM’s aren’t going to fire Bettman
The owners would do that, and the owners love Uncle Gary, because he makes them money
And while we’re at it with the GMs: A Proposed Poll for NovaCapsFans readers:
>>> How many think that the rule that an NHL player must race off the ice like a frightened squirrel if his helmet manages to get knocked off during live play? <<<
PD's personal thought is that this rule ranks right up there with the Top Five All Time Stupid Wimp Rules throughout American sport
NHL hockey has been played for over 100 years, mostly without helmets. … Helmets are a good idea. But instant short-handed play for the team with a helmet-less player? Pure wimpy wokey garbage. Pure Bettman.
You can see it coming today: Soon NHL players will be required to "cut-resistant" textile for covering their most precious area. And a cut-resistant neck goiter for everyone. It might even have ADVERTISING on it. It's coming.
The player doesn’t have to. He can pick it up and put it back on.
NHL Rule 9.6:
“A player on the ice whose helmet comes off during play shall be assessed a minor penalty if he does not exit the playing surface or retrieve and replace his helmet properly on his head (with or without his chin strap fastened), within a reasonable period of time. It is reasonable if a player who is making a play on the puck or who is in the vicinity of the puck and engaged in the play at the time his helmet comes off, takes the opportunity to complete the play before either exiting the ice or retrieving and replacing his helmet.”
Agreed, don’t like that rule. And some will beat me up over this, but I also don’t like the unsportsmanlike call for ‘diving’. If a player wants to flop around and cost his team by taking himself out of the game, so be it. All the tripping and hooking calls that include a diving call on the opposing player makes no sense.
Also agree, stupid rule.
I dunno about the hockey topics you bring up, but I’d like to propose a rule that people can’t refer to themselves in the third person, or by initials
You may have an issue with “wimpy wokey garbage” but you have to realize that the rules are in place because the “tough guys” of yesteryear are the ones bringing concussion lawsuits.
Brain health probably isn’t top of mind for someone who refers to themselves in the third-person.
OK I did typo. Here’s a better Poll Question:
>>> How many NovaCapsFans think that the stupidest rule in NHL history is that a player must race off the ice like a frightened squirrel if his helmet manages to get knocked off during live play? <<<
Based on how you write, you may want to crack open a few other books first before you get to the NHL rulebook.
Hi Novafyre! Thanks for the clarification
But what I actually witness that every time it happens, the helmet-less player heads-for-the-hills — to avoid being assessed a Bettman Minor Penalty
This rule simply should not exist
I have no problem with the rule. If a player’s helmet comes off in the NFL play stops. That would not work in the NHL. Trouble is, players don’t know the rule properly and even announcers have called it wrong and had to be corrected on air. I think AJ was the last one I heard correct her partner. They have the option of scooting or picking it up and replacing it. And, if making a play or near the puck can finish the play before having to do anything. I think they really tried not to disrupt the flow of the game. So in your poll I vote to keep it. Just teach everyone the complete rule.
It’s a good rule for player safety. I am for it. And Novafyre states very well. Players need to understand the rule and act accordingly. But you can have a player out there with 100 MPH slap shots flying around. Just ask JC74 (and he had one on).
How about they modify those stupid rotating ads on the TV feeds? Maybe change them only during stoppages or while the puck is at the other end.