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NHL execs content with keeping OT format

Andy Devlin / National Hockey League / Getty

After discussing potential tweaks to three-on-three overtime at Monday's general managers meetings, the NHL appears content to leave things as is.

League executive Colin Campbell revealed in November that GMs are exploring changes to the current overtime format to prevent teams from continuously exiting the offensive zone with puck possession. Possible solutions included a shot clock or implementing an over-and-back line, but the ideas apparently haven't gained much traction.

"I think it's working," New York Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello said of the system in place, per NHL.com's Nicholas J. Cotsonika. "I don't think there's any need to make changes. I think if the regroups were causing it to go into a shootout, then you'd have to."

Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill said potential changes could overcomplicate OT.

"All of a sudden, now I've got the puck at center ice, and you come and poke it. Did it go over the line? Did it not go over the line? Do we have a video replay on that? It just opens up a can of worms," Nill said.

"Now we're going to have another clock? It's not worth it."

The NHL is on pace to have 70% of its games this season end in overtime, which would mark a new record. In 2014-15, the final campaign before the league implemented three-on-three, 44% of games finished in the extra frame.

"We've looked at it, and we've looked at the percentage, and it hasn't been a problem, we think," Campbell said. "And we think it's exciting."

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