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BOCA RATON, Florida - NHL General Managers convened for the first of three days of meetings and picked up on a discussion that has been ongoing for the last few years and picked up traction the last time the group met back in Toronto in November: namely how to reduce the number of games that are decided in a shootout. “The shootout, theres nothing wrong with it, I think its an exciting part of the game but its just one small aspect,” said Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman. “Its a skill exhibition. If you can get it back closer to regular hockey and have it decided that way; that would be my preference.” “I dont think its a knock on the shootout, I think more of the managers would like to see it end in overtime,” added Washington Capitals GM George McPhee. “Shootouts fun though, people like it, kids love it.” In 2011, 14.7% of games were not decided by the end overtime. While it fell to 13.5% in 2012, the number has been on the rise again, climbing to 14.1% in 2013 and 14.3% so far this season. Collectively, the sentiment among the group continues to trend towards the desire to see more games end in regulation or overtime but the methods to go about achieving that are being disputed. Detroit Red Wings GM Ken Holland has long been an advocate of featuring three on three play after five minutes of four on four overtime. While he pushed for it back in November, the concept appeared to have little support this morning. The problem is that because it occurs so rarely in games, its difficult to truly understand what impact it might have on the game before implementing it. “You see three on three for maybe a minute or forty five seconds and the one team might just be waiting to get their power play so they might attack a little bit differently than if it was a full two minutes,” said Blues GM Doug Armstrong. “To see it, you have to see it for the full two minutes with everyone at even strength.” So far, the ideas that appear to be gaining the most support are more subtle by nature, avoiding a drastic alteration in the game the way extending overtime or shifting to three on three would. Potentially changing ends to start overtime so that teams would have to stray farther from their own end to change as they do during the second period of regulation and doing a dry scrape of the ice after regulation instead of waiting until before the shootout seemed to pick up some traction. While it wouldnt be a radical difference, Stars GM Jim Nill pointed to the inclusion of the rule preventing players from changing after icing the puck prior to the 2005-2006 season as a subtle tweak that had a positive impact. “Its amazing how some little things can have a big impact,” Nill said. “Years ago if you would have said if you iced the puck and had to stay on the ice, everybody would have said its not that big of a deal. But it is a big deal. Its amazing how little things can change the game.” Dave Dravecky Jersey . The group of Slava Fetisov, Igor Larionov, Vladimir Konstantinov, Sergei Fedorov, & Slava Kozlov were a dominant force for The Wings at one point in the 90s. Shaun Anderson Jersey . Price was hurt at the start of Wednesdays practice after facing just one shot as the team worked on their power play. He left the ice in discomfort and appeared to be favouring his leg. 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If that happens to run through Bank of America Stadium, put your goggles on cause theres going to be blood and guts everywhere,” Smith told an American radio station Thursday. The Ravens and Panthhers meet in 2014.dddddddddddd The Ravens and Daryl Smith have agreed on a four-year deal that solidifies the middle of Baltimores defence. The sides reached agreement on Friday, the same day Smith celebrated his 32nd birthday. Smith started all 16 games for the Ravens in 2013 and led the team with 123 tackles. He also had a career-high 19 passes defenced, setting a Ravens record by a linebacker. Signing the 6-foot-2, 250-pound Smith was a priority for the team during the off-season. General manager Ozzie Newsome says, "There are a lot of smiles around the building today after we got a commitment from Daryl Smith to stay a Raven. He fills a need for us at a high level." Newsome adds of Smith: "Hes tough, hes consistent, hes intelligent." ' ' '