Winnipeg Jets' Neal Pionk wears a neck guard as he plays during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the St. Louis Blues Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, in St. Louis.Officials made presentations at the league's annual Toronto meeting on both cut-proof equipment and emergency standards in arenas. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Jeff Roberson
TORONTO – NHL general managers discussed player safety and tweaks to overtime on Tuesday.
Officials made presentations at the league’s annual Toronto meeting on both cut-proof equipment and emergency standards in arenas.
Those topics have garnered increased attention following the death of Adam Johnson after his neck was cut by a skate blade during a game in England late last month.
NHL senior vice-president and director of hockey operations Colin Campbell said managers also discussed tweaks to 3-on-3 overtime aimed at preventing teams from continuously leaving the offensive zone in order to maintain possession.
Ideas on the table ahead of the next set of GM meetings in March include not allowing teams to track back across the blue line or red line and implementing a shot clock.
The NHL moved from 4-on-4 to 3-on-3 OT periods in 2015-16 in hopes of reducing the number of shootouts.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 14, 2023.
