Report: GMs discussed March Madness-style All-Star Game format

The NHL's general managers reportedly talked about turning the annual All-Star Game into a single-elimination tournament featuring more than two teams.

Several ideas intended to liven up the All-Star Game were discussed at the GM meetings in Florida earlier this week, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported Saturday during the "Headlines" segment on Hockey Night in Canada.

"There is some talk about the All-Star Game and whether or not the game itself should be changed. (That talk is) not going away," Friedman said. 

"One of the kinds of things that was suggested was maybe divide the players up into 10 teams (and) have a March Madness-style tournament until one team is left standing. But the league has told the GMs, 'We would like to hear some of your ideas for making the game itself a little better.'"

This year's edition of the All-Star Game saw a drop of nearly one million viewers in Canada compared to the 2012 event, and ratings in the U.S. were down 14 percent.