It was reported last night by Bob McKenzie that the NHL will more than likely be going to a 3-on-3 overtime format.
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
The league is hoping to inject a little more offense into the extra period, preferring to remove another skater from the ice to lessen the impact of the shootout. The Penguins are well positioned to take full advantage of this new standard.
A 3-on-3 overtime featuring Crosby, Malkin, and Letang is enough to whet anyone’s scoring appetite and strike mortal terror into defensemen and goalies around the league.
The Pens played 22 regular season overtime games last year, 10 of which went to a shootout. With all the space created 3-on-3, I expect the number of shootouts to drop noticeably.
While some may view this as just another gimmick, I welcome anything closer to actual hockey deciding games instead of penalty shots.