What could be the most important meetings of NHL executives since the lockout will take place today and tomorrow in Las Vegas. NHL GMs, Presidents, and owners are gathering to hammer out details of rule changes, expansion, and trades. Here's a quick look at what's on the agenda.

Salary Cap

The General Managers will meet with Bettman today and he will confirm the official salary cap for 2015-16. Bettman has already pinned it down to somewhere between $70 and $71 million. Where it winds up in that range will be critical for some teams' trade strategies. With big names from Chicago, Toronto, and elsewhere on the market, the most important action at the GM meetings will probably be in the hallways outside, and over dinner and drinks tonight (hopefully not too many drinks), where some big trades may be hammered out.

UPDATE: The cap is set at $71.4 million. The minimum is $52.8 million.
Rule Changes

As reported yesterday in Friedman's 30 Thoughts, when the Governors gather for their meeting a hot topic will be changes to how overtime works:

The GMs prefer the AHL method that starts at four-on-four, eventually dropping one skater per team — while the NHLPA prefers three-on-three from the get-go, with the extra period remaining at five minutes.

While that change is being figured out, there will also be a discussion on implementing a 'coach's challenge', which is no doubt needed given the extensive grumbling about bad calls this past season. Per the AP:

If approved by the NHLPA executive committee and board of governors, goalie interference challenges would be handled by referees at ice level and offside plays by the situation room in Toronto.

There may also be minor changes to faceoffs:

Also recommended: a change to faceoff rules in the defensive zone that makes the defensive player put his stick down first, rather than the visiting player.

Expansion

Viva Las Vegas! The resorts, MGM especially, will be rolling out the red carpet this week for anyone even tenuously related to the NHL.

We already know the players love to party there, and that some love to 'party' there. Now it will be the GMs and executives turn to be gluttonous. If you want an idea of what Vegas VIP gluttony is like, read this.

With a reported $500 million on the table, Vegas expansion will be discussed, but there probably won't be a formal announcement. It is more likely the league will kick off the process by directing Bettman to establish the appropriate committees and legal framework to get it done for 2016-17.

The Coyotes

Then there's the whole Coyotes mess. If you want a primer on the latest developments, Five For Howling has details here. The short version is that new details have come out that make the City of Glendale's case a little bit stronger. It turns out, contrary to the Coyotes' management statements, that the City has been in discussion with them for months over the various issues of the management agreement, the hiring of the City's legal counsel, and had even explained exactly what they were planning to do in advance.

No one involved in this debacle looks good right now. I'm sure Andrew Barroway will be grilled by the other executives and we will probably get a hint of the leagues strategy fairly soon. With the teams ability to continue in Glendale in question, it will no doubt scare off many free agents who may not want to risk even a small chance they will suddenly be transferred to Quebec City in September.

When will we know what happened?

The official salary cap will probably leak out from the GM meeting this afternoon.

Regarding the changes to the rules, if they are approved, that would come out Wednesday evening, or Thursday.

If any trades are finalised at the meetings any announcements or informal leaks will probably be held back until after the awards show Wednesday night, so as not to upstage it, or create any awkward moments for teammates of those traded.