The goal was scored on the power play by the player.
According to sources, the NHL is considering increasing its regular season to 84 games in order to create more regional rivalries.
Some teams complained about the number of games against rivals in the current schedule.
Each team plays either three or four games against divisional opponents, for a total of 26 games; they play three games against nondivisional teams within their own conference, for a total of 24 games; and they play two games, home and away, against opponents from the other conference.
The New York Rangers and New York Islanders play each other three times. The Rangers will play the Islanders on December 22nd in the last game of the regular season.
The NHL's current schedule format allows every team to visit every opponent at least once, while giving divisional rivals four games against each other. The preseason schedule might be shortened to make up for the extra games. On national and local television, games against rivals draw bigger crowds and bigger audiences. They could sell all of the tickets for the 10 games they played in the city. One NHL general manager thought it was crazy.
The regular season could be expanded to 84 games. The topic was not brought up at the board of governors meeting in Palm Beach, Florida, but is expected to be brought up at the general managers' meeting in March.
Gary Bettman may consider expanding the regular season despite his opposition to adding teams to the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The NHL source said that it was the simplest way to travel.
The NHL had an 84-game regular season in 1992-94 when the league and the NHLPA agreed to add two "neutral site" games.
Adding more rivalry games is one of the solutions being considered. During their meeting in Toronto last month, the NHL's general managers discussed how to create a schedule that reduces travel and adds more rivalry games, something the NHL implemented during its 2020-21 season, which was limited to 56 games. One general manager said that the discussion centered on the fact that the Eskimos only play three times this season. Scheduling more interdivisional games and more games per stop would save money. It seemed that the COVID schedule worked.
The discussions were reported by Sportico.
The NHL wouldn't say anything. Changes to the schedule need the approval of the NHLPA. The players would have to approve any increase in the number of games played.
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