MONTEREY, Calif. -- The NHL's 30 owners will be nestled in this picturesque part of the continent over the next few days, balancing tee times at Pebble Beach with the business of the board of governors meetings Monday and Tuesday.
Via league sources, some of the highlights from the board's agenda:
• The Canadian TV deal will require board of governors approval, which is expected to happen Monday. No truth to the rumor that all 30 owners will line up with wheelbarrows and fill them up with their share of the 5.2 billion Canadian dollars.
• There will be a collective bargaining agreement update, including hockey-related revenue/revenue-sharing projections and resulting cap projections. The latter has become a really important piece of information for governors at this December meeting because it would give them a clearer idea of what the salary cap will look like for the upcoming season, thus helping them plan ahead, especially for teams that have important contract extensions to sign with top players. Safe to say that the cap is indeed going up, but owners will know more precisely by just how much.
• Reports will come from the hockey operations, player safety and officiating groups, which includes presentations from Colin Campbell, Brendan Shanahan and Stephen Walkom. Campbell and Walkom will walk owners through the new rules, including hybrid icing, and how they are all working so far this season, etc. Sheriff Shanny will present information on league discipline, etc.
• There will be a report on legal matters, in which the league will update owners on Gary Leeman's and other ex-players' lawsuit that will include the league's preliminary take and analysis. I'm guessing there will be a pretty attentive audience for that one.
• Deputy commissioner Bill Daly will brief the board on the independent review the NHL commissioned on the operation of the substance abuse and behavioral health program.
• An Olympic update will be heard, with Sochi around the corner.
• Updates will come on the league's new Canadian Hockey League agreement, and on the league's relationships with USA Hockey, Hockey Canada and the International Ice Hockey Federation.