The annual NHL general managers meetings begin Monday in Boca Raton, Fla., and one of the topics on this year’s agenda is extending the length of overtime.
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Entering Sunday’s slate of games, 12.57 percent of games (121 of 962) this season have been decided in a shootout.
That is the third-lowest percentage of games ending in a shootout since the NHL implemented the skills competition after the 2004-05 lockout, but there still seems to be a growing desire to a find way for more games to be determined before a shootout.
One of the most effective ways to accomplish this goal, while still preventing games from taking too long, is extending the overtime period from five to 10 minutes.
The 4-on-4 overtime action gives players more room on the ice, which generally results in more quality scoring chances. Another option would be to have a 4-on-4 overtime period and then a 3-on-3 overtime frame, with both lasting five minutes.
The shootout is not going away, that much is clear. But there’s no harm in trying a longer overtime to have games, and more importantly, vital points in the playoff race, awarded by team-based hockey rather than a 1-on-1 gimmick.
