NHL Governors Meeting Update: 3-on-3 OT, salary cap rises, radical change to All-Star Game

Earlier today the General Managers' learned the official increase to the NHL salary cap.

From the NHL press release:

The NHL and the NHL Players' Association have announced that the 2015-16 salary cap will increase to US$71.4 million.

That's a $2.1-million increase from this season.

The cap floor — the minimum an NHL team must spend — will be $52.8 million.

The salary cap is determined by hockey-related revenue.

The NHLPA triggered its five-per-cent escalator clause to increase the cap.

You may recall the use of the escalator clause was a contentious issue for the NHLPA. As recently as January, Rick Westhead at TSN speculated a majority of players, upset over increasing escrow and not getting the full face-value of their contracts may vote down use of the escalator.

"Given that the value of player contracts is, and has remained, less than the full face value of their contracts over the last few seasons, players will certainly discuss over the next few months whether to continue to maintain the five per cent growth factor every year," NHLPA spokesman Jonathan Weatherdon wrote in an e-mailed statement. "This will allow the executive board to make its decision with the benefit of a full discussion of the issues by the players."

Explanations about why they ended up choosing to use the escalator will probably leak out over the next few days.

News is also leaking out after the first day's session of the NHL Board of Governors meeting.

Pending B of G approval, NHL will go to 3-on-3 overtime for 5 minutes in regular season games next season.

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 24, 2015

This is quite a huge change for the NHL. To clarify, this means the 5 minute OT will begin and end with 3-on-3. It will not be like the OT protocol used by the AHL this season where there was 4 minutes of 4-on-4, then 3 minutes of 3-on-3. It will be straight up 5 minutes of sudden death 3-on-3 and then a shootout.

NHLPA was adamantly opposed to AHL-tested model (4 mins of 4 on 4 and 3 mins of 3 on 3) so NHL choice was no change at all or 3 on 3 for 5.

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 24, 2015

The coaches challenge will also be approved, as expected.

Coaches' challenge on goalie interference/offside goals - with on ice officials reviewing own work at p box monitor - coming, pending B of G

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 24, 2015

And we have our first surprise of the meetings so far:

Speaking of 3on3, NHL may consider - nothing firm yet by any means - re-formatted NHL All-Star Game that could be multi-team 3-on-3 tourney.

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 24, 2015

No word on expansion or relocation yet.

The meetings will continue tomorrow!

What do you think of the OT changes?