Bowman goes against McDavid support for major NHL rule change

Stan Bowman. Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Stan Bowman goes against Connor McDavid support for major NHL rule change

Originally posted on Oilers Daily | By Finnegan Frost | Last updated Mar 19, 2025 4:20 PM ET

Now that the dust has finally settled on the 4 Nations Face-Off, fans got a glimpse of best-on-best hockey for the first time in years. While the show proved to be a massive success among hockey fans, another element of the tournament fans appreciated was the extended 3-on-3 overtime format.

As a brief reminder, instead of the traditional 5-minute 3-on-3 overtime period, the format was slightly modified, maintaining the same structure but extending the duration to 10 minutes — an instant hit among fans and players.

One of the players who enjoyed the format was Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, who is a strong advocate for implementing the extended overtime structure in today's NHL.

"I think it's a great kind of trial run. Something that I think maybe the players liked, I think the fans liked it, it felt a little bit more like it's in our hands. You know, I don't think anyone really wants it to go to a shootout," McDavid said.

Oilers general manager Stan Bowman has been busy at the NHL's GM meetings, where he poured cold water on the idea of implementing the extended overtime structure.

Bowman shuts down extended 3-on-3 format

"We haven't talked about extending [overtime] yet, I don't know if we will in the coming days. Sometimes you're maybe searching to solve problems that don't exist. Which is OK, I think it shows the league is in a good place. I don't know if we have a problem," Bowman said on NHL Network's "NHL Tonight First Shift."

According to Bowman, implementing such a format could be unnecessary as the current format works perfectly fine.

While players around the league have petitioned for the rule change, GMs around the NHL don't see it as a pressing matter.

Will the rule eventually change? Time will tell.

This article first appeared on Oilers Daily and was syndicated with permission.

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