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"&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Every Wednesday, a trio of SI.com staffers sits&amp;nbsp;down for a discussion of the hockey world\u2019s hot-button issues. This week, Sam Page, Sarah Kwak and Al Muir talk about pending changes to NHL overtime and video review, a possible blockbuster trade to land Connor McDavid, and the nitpicking of Sidney Crosby. First up:\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022&amp;nbsp;&lt;b&gt;The NHL\u2019s general managers were busy this week, making several recommendations that could change the way the game is played and officiated, possibly as soon as next season. So let\u2019s get your thoughts on some of these key suggestions, starting with a move to an overtime that includes an element of three-on-three play.&lt;/b&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;SARAH KWAK: &lt;/b&gt;Red Wings GM Ken Holland has been banging this three-on-three drum for years, so it\u2019s a nice victory for him. I think because they saw how it worked in the AHL this season, GMs were more likely to back it this time. But I\u2019ll be curious to see what format it takes. I doubt they\u2019ll add time to OT. But I think we talked about this earlier in the season, and I stand by what I said then. I won\u2019t be sold that three-on-three is going to be any better in the long run at deciding games than five minutes of four-on-four. The NHL has a history of seeing a big difference right after it makes a big change, but then things regress back to the mean (i.e. goal scoring). So, my guess right now is that in five years, once players and coaches adjust to a three-on-three formate, we\u2019ll return to the same rate at which we\u2019re seeing the shootout deciding games now.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;SAM PAGE:&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;I\u2019m psyched for three-on-three play. Regardless of whether it helps curtail shootouts (I think it will), it adds a strategic wrinkle to the game. Will the Stars just send out their top forward line? Will the Penguins\u2019 big three of Malkin-Crosby-Letang ever lose in overtime? Will the Predators just roll three defenseman? I also hope that the open ice leads to more designed, criss-crossing neutral zone passing plays. Bring back the 80s!\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;AL MUIR: &lt;/strong&gt;I am on the record as being a fan of the shootout, so I\u2019m not as thrilled with this recommendation as some people are. But honestly, I\u2019m not worried about it at this point because I\u2019m not convinced that there\u2019s a smooth path to adoption. There\u2019s a good chance that this will get held up by the Competition Committee when the players will have their say. I don\u2019t think there\u2019s any appetite for an AHL-style seven-minute format that will just grind down the best players. And I think they\u2019ll want something in return rather than just going along for \u201Cthe best interests of the game.\u201D Can\u2019t blame them for that.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And I think you\u2019re right, Sarah. While we might see some thrilling action early on, it won\u2019t take long before we\u2019re reminded of the boundless determination of NHL coaches to put goal prevention ahead of goal scoring. The OT format change won\u2019t mitigate the impact of the shootout nearly as much as they hope.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022&amp;nbsp;&lt;b&gt;How about a coach\u2019s challenge that would bring in the element of video review on plays involving goaltender interference and possibly pucks sent over the boards in the defensive zone?&lt;/b&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;KWAK:&lt;/b&gt; I\u2019m&amp;nbsp;O.K. with checking out pucks that went over the boards in the defensive zone or things that are really pretty cut and dry. I am against reviewing anything on the ice that requires judgment, mostly because I would hate to see hockey become a series of video reviews, with the flow of the action becoming as stuttered as an NFL playoff game.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;MUIR:&lt;/b&gt; I think I\u2019ve flop-flopped on this as I\u2019ve talked to more people about how this might play out. Here\u2019s what I\u2019m saying: It\u2019s one thing to use video replay to verify a black-and-white decision. Did the puck fully cross the goal line? Did the puck enter the net before time expired? Those make sense. But once you add in reviews for cases of a grey area like goaltender interference, you\u2019re treading on the ground of judgment calls. And while the judgment of the other on-ice officials or the guys in the war room in Toronto may be different, it doesn\u2019t necessarily mean they\u2019ll get it right. Split-second officiating decisions are part of the game. More often than not they\u2019re made correctly. I\u2019m willing to accept the occasional mistake to keep the game moving.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;PAGE:&lt;/strong&gt; I say yes to reviews, but only in the playoffs. If a referee blows a delay of game during the regular season, no one really cares. But if one of these calls determines a Stanley Cup finals game, the whole incident with get some goofy capitalized name\u2014The Over-The-Glass Game\u2014with its own Wikipedia page and a throng of fans that will never shut up about it.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022&amp;nbsp;&lt;b&gt;There are reports that Sabres GM Tim Murray is so desperate for the first pick that, in the event that Buffalo&amp;nbsp;doesn\u2019t win the lottery, he will make a strong pitch to the team that does. Is this a smart move? And what assets do you think it would take to land the No. 1?&lt;/b&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;KWAK:&lt;/b&gt; The Sabres have two first-round picks. So, yes, I think he has the assets to make it happen. Is it smart to give up both (a second overall and a late-rounder) for Connor McDavid? It very well might be, but only if Buffalo remembers that McDavid isn\u2019t the singular answer. All indications are that he\u2019ll likely remake a team and be a franchise-changing player, but he needs support and/or a bit of time. Sidney Crosby had Evgeni Malkin and Marc-Andr\u00E9 Fleury. Patrick Kane had Jonathan Toews. Steven Stamkos needed time and not Barry Melrose. And look at John Tavares, who has grown into the player that everybody said he would be. He\u2019s been in the league six years now, and when he didn\u2019t have a good core of support the first few seasons of his NHL career, was anybody calling him a phenom and a savior? Not really.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;PAGE:&lt;/strong&gt; My hunch is that the package Sarah\u2019s floating here won\u2019t get it done. Just three years ago, the Islanders reportedly offered picks 4, 34, 65, 103, 125, 155, and 185 for the No. 2\u2014either Ryan Murray or Nail Yakupov, who were far from the consensus best players in that draft. Even if the lottery-winning team thinks the difference between McDavid and Jack&amp;nbsp;Eichel is small enough to justify trading out of the top spot, they will&amp;nbsp;necessarily&amp;nbsp;know that Tim Murray doesn\u2019t share their appraisal. Still, I think any package the Sabres can negotiate without giving up next year\u2019s first-round pick is worth it. And I\u2019d consider trading that pick too. You don\u2019t get another shot at generational talent.&amp;nbsp;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;MUIR:&lt;/b&gt; No, you can\u2019t blame a guy for taking his best shot, and heaven knows Murray has a ton of assets. But it\u2019s hard for me to believe there\u2019s a GM out there who wants to be known as &lt;em&gt;The Guy Who Traded Connor McDavid&lt;/em&gt; (Wikipedia page pending). Not that Murray couldn\u2019t dangle a tempting package, especially if he has the second pick and can build it around Eichel, next year\u2019s first, another pick or two, and a couple of considerable prospects like Rasmus Ristolainen and maybe J.T. Compher. Even that might not get a deal done, but that\u2019s what it would take to prevent the other guy from laughing and hanging up the phone. But like you said, Sarah, hockey\u2019s not a one-man game. Support is key and the Sabres have a promising group of young players in place who might one day provide that support. No reason to dismantle that, even for McDavid. Better to \u201Csettle\u201D for Eichel and count the blessings of having depth.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022&amp;nbsp;&lt;b&gt;Pittsburgh GM Jim Rutherford came to the defense of Sidney Crosby this week, saying there\u2019s been too much nitpicking of the superstar and that Sid is playing as well as ever. Did Rutherford need to step up like this? And is Crosby really playing up to snuff?&lt;/b&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;KWAK: &lt;/b&gt;I don\u2019t think Rutherford &lt;i&gt;needed &lt;/i&gt;to say that, but you can understand why he did. Crosby, for the relatively down season he\u2019s had, is still just one point off of the league scoring lead, and still has a healthy 1.11 points per game average (best in the NHL). Still, the recent headlines around Pittsburgh that feature the Penguins captain read: \u201CShrinking Numbers for Malkin, Crosby in Rugged NHL\u201D and \u201CCrosby, Malkin no help in loss\u201D or&amp;nbsp;\u201CWhat's wrong with Crosby? Penguins star says stats get overanalyzed.\u201D&amp;nbsp;When you\u2018re the best, you\u2019ll&amp;nbsp;be scrutinized like it, so it comes with the territory, and Crosby knows that. So while I don\u2019t think the GM needed to stand up for him, &amp;nbsp;but I am sure that Crosby appreciated somebody else reminding people he\u2019s still really, really good.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;All that said, I don\u2019t think this has been his best season. And I don\u2019t think he\u2019d tell you this has been his best season. There are a bunch of factors\u2014including a new coach and different linemates\u2014that probably contribute to what seems to be a down year. But I think the valuation of this season for him will come in April and possibly beyond. If he goes on a tear in the playoffs, will anybody talk about his regular season? That said, if the Penguins go out early and easy \u2026 &amp;nbsp;well, maybe we\u2019ll revisit this question then.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;MUIR:&lt;/strong&gt; He\u2019s the face of the game, the best player of his generation. So yeah, even the slightest slip in performance is going to draw some heat. I\u2019m sure Sid can handle it though, just as I\u2019m sure he appreciated his boss stepping up for him. That\u2019s what a good boss does.&amp;nbsp;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Does Crosby deserve the microscopic attention this year? Yep. He\u2019s been really, really good, but not quite up to the level we\u2019ve seen him reach before. And at his age (27) he should be discovering his peak, not settling back into the crowd. It\u2019s fair to say he\u2019s been a disappointment, but here\u2019s a guy who spent the whole 2014 Olympic tournament getting ripped for his lack of production and then silenced everyone with a stunning clincher in the gold medal game. He knows when to take it up a notch. Let\u2019s wait and see what he does when it matters most.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;PAGE:&lt;/strong&gt; I don\u2019t know if Rutherford needed to step up for Crosby, but it\u2019s always nice to see an executive go to bat for his player, especially one of the most unfairly criticized players in the NHL. As far as Crosby\u2019s supposed down year goes, it seems like TOI is a big factor here. This year will likely be his first with full season averaging less than 20 minutes per game. And like Sarah said, easing off on him during the regular season will look smart or stupid in the context of how they play in the playoffs. Like the Heat managing LeBron James\u2019s regular season minutes in advance of their second championship, all will be forgiven if Crosby wins Cup No. 2.&amp;nbsp;\r\n&lt;/p&gt;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.si.com/nhl/2015/03/18/3-on-3-ot-connor-mcdavid-draft-value-sidney-crosby-criticized-nhl-roundtable>