Top Line: Overtime rules changes?; Hockey Night's new host; more links
With 13 percent of all games decided by shootout, some GMs are in favor of expanding overtime. (Getty Images)
By Allan Muir
An annotated guide to this morning's must-read hockey stories:
• Altering overtime to lessen the impact of shootouts will be at the top of a list of 40 proposed rules changes discussed by the league's general managers in meetings set to begin today in Boca Raton, Fla. I doubt we'll get anything as drastic as a five-minute three-on-three tacked on at the end of the current four-on-four phase, but there is change coming. Look for baby steps rather than a massive leap.
• The reported hiring of George Stroumboulopoulos as the new ringmaster for Hockey Night In Canada is exactly the sort of shake-up that the stuffy old show needs, writes Rosie DiManno. Word is that Don Cherry will remain on board for two more years while Ron MacLean will stick with the show in a reduced role -- likely as Cherry's straight man on Coach's Corner only.
• It was a milestone afternoon for Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist, who picked up his 300th career win and franchise-record tying 49th shutout at the expense of the Red Wings.
• The Devils are playing with confidence ... and with fire ... as they've opened up their game in search of more scoring.
• Maybe it's the fire wagon hockey talking, but Jaromir Jagr wants an extension to stay in New Jersey for another year or two.
• If nothing else, Alex Ovechkinwill be in better shape as a result of sharing his home with new teammate Evgeny Kuznetsov.
• There's been plenty of concern that Marian Gaborik might be a bad fit for the Kings, but Jim Matheson argues that the winger is exactly the gun that L.A. needs in its holster.
• Coach Ken Hitchcock credits this as the key to the Blues' remarkable record of success on the road.
• Patrick Roy hasn't donned the pads in an Avalanche uniform since he retired in 2003, but this might give him a reason.
• Glen Sather made mistakes in his handling of Dan Girardi and Ryan Callahan last summer. Larry Brooks of the New York Post says that the Rangers' general manager had better learn from those mistakes if he doesn't want to lose Marc Staal next year.
• "Call the cops! Elliott robbed Granlund!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDoaMKV-vJY
• The Maple Leafs are hoping that Jake Gardinerpays close attention to the Ducks' Cam Fowler when the two young defensemen meet up on Monday night. They have roughly analogous skill sets, but Fowler has moved beyond his tentative phase to become an entrenched part of the top four for Anaheim. Gardiner still needs to find some consistency to go along with his superlative tools.
• Not only did Claude Giroux and Wayne Simmondssurvive their game with the Harlem Globetrotters, they managed to get in on the fun with their own trick play.
• Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen is listed as day-to-day after being steamrolled by the Wild's Erik Haula on Saturday night. No one's talking about a concussion just yet, but it's probably just a matter of time before we hear that Lehtonen was diagnosed with one. Dallas' trade for Tim Thomas at the deadline is looking pretty good right about now.
• Coming home to Buffalo brought out the best in Patrick Kane, who scored his first goal since Feb. 3 in a 2-1 win over the Sabres.
• Pat LaFontaine finally broke his silence, but didn't talk about the one thing everyone cares about -- what really led to his split with Buffalo after just three months on the job.
• The Canucks are facing tough on-ice decisions moving foward, and that's what makes the fates of coach John Tortorella and GM Mike Gillis the biggest challenge facing the organization.
• If you're going to get called for too many men on the ice, you may as well get your money's worth.
Matt Stajan