NHL GMs thrilled with 3-on-3 All-Star Game; wait on expansion

BOCA RATON, Fla. – The NHL general managers looked at the league’s 2015-16 All-Star Game as a major success and hope to continue the 3-on-3 format in the future.

Along with the coach’s challenge, the All-Star Game was the second major topic discussed on the first day of the GMs' meetings. Overall, no major tweaks were announced.

"I think the feeling was it was probably the best All-Star Game that we've had in maybe 20 years,” said Detroit Red Wings GM Ken Holland. “It was competitive. Players enjoyed the game, they enjoyed the format. The ratings were well above the previous year. So, I think hockey ops will continue to evaluate things, but for the most part, they were very, very positive.”

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This year, all-star voting brought some level of controversy with enforcer John Scott making the game through an Internet fan vote. According to Holland, changing the fan vote was not discussed.  

"They put up a thing that it was one of the things they were going to talk about, but we never got there," Holland said. 

Nashville Predators GM David Poile, who voiced his concerns about the Scott situation leading up to the game, was thrilled with how the contest played out in his home city.

“It was fan friendly, the players competed and it was very exciting,” Poile said. “If I was asked to vote on it I would certainly stay with the 3-on-3 format.”

There was some look at the All-Star Game participation rule.

If NHL players pull out of the All-Star Game they’re suspended one game. This season, the Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin didn’t play in the game because of a back injury, and Chicago Blackhawks' Jonathan Toews didn’t play because of illness.

Both players had been to multiple All-Star Games in the past.

“We still have to get that one wrinkle out of the way, the player maybe deciding not to play and the one-game suspension. It never is a good thing. Do we increase it? We haven’t really addressed that,” said NHL hockey operations director Colin Campbell."In Toews’ case, he was sick, he’s come to every (All-Star) Game. Ovechkin made a decision, he had back issues that he thought he needed a rest. It’s tough to argue, he’s been to 10 All-Star Games. So it seems to be OK now.”

Nothing on expansion … yet: The NHL's general managers did not discuss parameters of an expansion draft on the first day of their meetings.

That should be on the docket at some point in the next couple of days before they leave on Wednesday. The general managers welcomed any sort of clarity on the issue so they can better construct their rosters in preparation for a draft moving forward. 

“We have a general sense of what it’s going to be just by having been part of past expansion drafts,” said Edmonton Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli. “I think we’re all planning already, it would be nice if we could have it by this June.”

Closure on cap: There was no update on the salary cap on the first day of the GMs' meetings, and according to Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman, there was no expectation that there would be an update.

Bowman’s team was crunched by a minimal salary cap increase last offseason, but he has no problems if the cap again doesn’t see much of a boost.

“Even going back four or five years ago, people always made predictions, but for me it's easier for a plan to not change and having more cap space is something I can always deal with,” Bowman said. “If you're assuming it's going to go up and it doesn't then you put yourself in a tougher spot. That's why I really don't worry about it too much. It'll be what it is and we'll deal with it when we get to it."

At the NHL's Board of Governors meeting in December the league said the cap could go up by $3 million, but that projection was preliminary. 

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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @joshuacooper