John Tavares' vision for what three-on-three overtime should look like is based on enchanting memories he owns of playing neighborhood pick-up games with his buddies.
"Whenever you play next-goal-wins in the backyard," Tavares says, "that's when you see some of the most exciting, intense hockey."
Tavares is among the many players and team officials around the NHL who believe that the rule change could create some of the more scintillating moments of the 2015-16 regular season.
"It will be end-to-end action, a lot of open ice, lots of plays being made, a lot of great saves," Tavares, the
Although there was considerable buzz in 2005 about the sweeping rule reformation the NHL embraced after the cancelled season, this season's shift from four-on-four to three-on-three OT may be the most exciting single rule change the NHL has known in many years.
"Being smart will be key," Rangers goalie
The rule is being enacted to reduce, not eliminate, the number of shootouts
"I don't think that we ever lost the luster of a shootout," NHL Deputy Commissioner
Because shootouts are expected to become more rare, there may be a spike in the excitement level for them.
Last season, 56% of NHL games that were tied after regulation ended up going to a shootout. The majority of general managers believed that was too many.
"There will be decisions," Holland says. "Do you use three forwards or two forwards and one defenseman, or will you use two defensemen and one forward?"
The NHL adopted the rule change after seeing the
In 2013-14, 64.7% of all AHL games tied after regulation were settled by a shootout. When the AHL extended its overtime to seven minutes and used both four-on-four and three-on-three play, that figure fell to 25%.
The NHL is staying with the five-minute duration for the overtime.
"Every hockey guy that I have talked to believes it is going to be a dynamic five minutes if it lasts that long,"
The only caution in predicting what will happen in three-on-three play is the knowledge that the impact a rule change cannot be predicted until
"It will be fun to watch, because coaches are so smart and they will adapt," Dallas Stars general manager
Daly says there are differing views even within the NHL office about how three-on-three will play out. The NHL is allowing teams to have three preseason games in which three-on-three overtime will be played regardless of what the score is at the end of the regulation. Coaches want a chance to experiment.
"There has been some suggestion that coaches are so good that they will find a way to choke down a three-on-three environment the same way they can choke down a four-on-four environment," Daly says. "But I have to believe we are going to see a dramatic increase in number of games decided (in OT)."
"I'm going to try to find time in training camp to play it a little bit," Cooper says. "I will watch to see what our guys do and talk to them about it."
"After a couple of games, you may get used to it, so you may have a better idea of how you defend, if you can," he says.
Crosby says he would prefer three forwards on the ice.
"I've played a little bit this summer," he says. "It's fun hockey. I think you are going to see a lot of games decided that way."
Cooper has talked to some AHL coaches and is mulling whether he might want to use the high-powered Triplets Line —
"It's a thought," he says. "But I don't know whether I would do it or not."
Nill has watched enough AHL overtime games to predict NHL overtimes will start cautiously.
"But all that needs to happen is someone breaks a stick or misses the net and (the puck) goes the other way on a two-on-one break, and then it becomes a track meet," he says.
Holland says he has noticed that action ramps up as soon as the first player leaves the ice on a change. The three-on-three change is trickier.
"That creates an odd-man rush, and then the game opens up," Holland says. "But at the end of the day, there will be lots of ice and lots of scoring chances."
Just changing lines in three-on-three can be tricky. Will players play the puck back to their goalie to get a line change?
The bottom line for coaches is they'll use any tactic they think could earn them two points.
Poile says he can't see coaches embracing a defensive posture start-to-finish in overtime. "I don't know why you would," he says. "
"If you are playing against Sidney Crosby or
It is easier for players to hold the puck in a three-on-three format, and some might do that.
"My thought is human nature is to do something," Cooper says. "The players are too good. The offensive instinct guys are going to try to make a play. As soon as t that happens …"
Tavares does have one concern. "I think it will be demanding," he says. "I think it will be taxing. It will be interesting to see what kind of effect that has on players throughout the course of a long season. How teams will manage this will be interesting."
Former NHL goaltender
"You are talking two-on-ones. You are talking goalies having to stretch out," Pang says. "You are asking your guys to go post-to-post on bad ice late in the game. I think we are asking for trouble here. I hope I'm wrong."
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