League, players reportedly have varying opinions on new overtime format

The NHL and players want to change the current overtime format, but how they will go about doing it is up for debate.

Both sides have been looking to find a way to cut down on the amount of shootouts during the season, but the league and players reportedly have different preferences, as Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman outlined in his 30 Thoughts on Sunday.

Both they and the players would like a change, and one is expected. The GMs prefer the AHL method that starts at four-on-four, eventually dropping one skater per team — while the NHLPA prefers three-on-three from the get-go, with the extra period remaining at five minutes. There was supposed to be some additional polling of the players to see if the AHL way would be acceptable.

Friedman suggests that since there has been so much debate over the two formats, neither side is worried that a final decision has been made yet.