TORONTO -- Pending free agents remain the biggest concern when it comes to expansion after the GMs meetings Tuesday.The Las Vegas expansion team and some of the 30 existing teams are worried about less-than-honest agreements circumventing the expansion-draft rules.What, GMs looking for loopholes? Come on.Specifically, GMs worry that Vegas could take advantage of the 48-hour window before the expansion draft in June to quietly agree to terms on a deal with a pending unrestricted free agent, then wait until July 1 to sign him, so as to pluck another player off a teams roster in the expansion draft.This would circumvent the rule that if a team loses a free agent to Vegas in that 48-hour free-agent-signing window, it cannot lose another player in the expansion draft. Some GMs worry that veteran GM George McPhee, who wasnt born yesterday, would take advantage of the situation.Conversely?George has the same concerns about existing teams doing those types of deals with players they dont have to protect, deputy commissioner Bill Daly said Tuesday after the GMs meeting.McPhee wisely worries that a team or two might do a drawer deal with a pending UFA but not officially sign it until after the expansion draft. Why? Teams dont have to protect pending free agents because they arent eligible for the expansion draft. Heres an example: If the San Jose Sharks didnt officially re-sign Joe Thornton until after the expansion draft, they could protect another player.There has to be a high level of diligence to make sure those things dont happen and to make sure people know there will be significant penalties imposed if they were to screw around with the rules, Daly said.Daly said violators of the expansion rules forgo a first-round draft pick, so penalties in the same vein would be appropriate.?New Jersey Devils GM Ray Shero insisted anyone would be crazy to attempt that type of circumvention.I certainly dont want to be involved in that because I certainly love my job and cant afford the fine, Shero said with a smile. Sure, we talked about it today [in the GMs meeting]. Those are the what-ifs? But with anything, everything has to pass the smell test with the league. You got to have some big you-know-whats to screw around with that.Rule 48 rages onAs one GM succinctly put it Tuesday, the consensus on Rule 48 is that there is no consensus.The room is split among GMs who fear that tweaking Rule 48 will further decrease the physicality of the game and those who are fearful of blindside hits -- hits to a player who doesnt see it coming -- and want the blindside language put back into Rule 48 (blindside was taken out in 2012).NHL Player Safety met with eight GMs on Monday ahead of Tuesdays full GMs meeting in order to get a head start on the raging Rule 48 debate that was renewed after?Toronto Maple Leafs?center?Nazem Kadris hit on the Vancouver Canucks Daniel Sedin two weeks ago. That hit didnt warrant a suspension because the shoulder was hit first, so it wasnt deemed a head shot. But it was definitely a blindside hit to a vulnerable player.?Now what? Said one of the eight GMs in the room Monday when they voted on the Kadri-Sedin hit: The room was split.It will be talked about again at the March meetings, but finding consensus is proving difficult.It is the hardest part,?Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff said. Im sure if you put 15 of you media guys in the room and ask to raise your hand, yes or no, youre probably going to be split on a lot of things. And thats generally the conversation here. Theres a lot of passion on both sides of the coin when it comes to hitting and making sure that is still an integral part of the game because nobody wants to see that lost. Now, certainly the mindset is players safety first. The hard part, and I feel for Player Safety, they have to rule by the letter of the rule.Added?Philadelphia Flyers?GM Ron Hextall: No one wants to see blindside hits, but when you put that blindside [language] in [Rule 48], youre going to eliminate a lot of things. You also encourage players to turn away from hits. Its not as easy and simple as people think it is. I wish it was. I think its one of those issues that needs to be looked at and studied and talked about before any rash decision is made.Colorado Avalanche GM and Hall of Famer Joe Sakic said he doesnt like hits on vulnerable players, but he added that the player with the puck has responsibility too.Theres some good, hard hits, and youve got to keep that, Sakic said. I also think its up to the players with the puck that you got to keep your head up as well. You have to have awareness.Shootout change coming?St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong proposed discussion about tweaking the shootout.My thought process was that we had great drama in Sochi with what T.J. Oshie did, Armstrong said, referring to Oshies being given and scoring on multiple shootout attempts in a game against the Russians in the 2014 Winter Olympics.The Blues GM proposed that teams use three shooters, but if the shootout goes on, coaches could deploy any shooter they want, even the same player over and over again. In other words, it would be similar to international rules.As another GM said, why do fans want to see the seventh defenseman or 13th forward take a shootout attempt when the shootouts go long? Why not put your best players in the spotlight for the whole shootout?The GMs will discuss it again at the March meetings. Swell Flaske Hvit Marmor . -- Peyton Manning will have all of his wide receivers available for the first time in a month when the Denver Broncos begin their playoff run Jan. Swell Flaske Marmor . -- The Sacramento Kings are set to become the first major professional sports franchise to accept Bitcoin virtual currency for ticket and merchandise purchases. http://www.swellflaskenorge.com/swell-flaske-500-ml.html .com) - The Montreal Canadiens embark on their first road trip of the season as they head out west to battle the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. Swell Flaske Nettbutikk .com) - Christian Ponder will get another chance to prove himself for the Minnesota Vikings, with head coach Leslie Frazier announcing Wednesday that the struggling quarterback will start this weekends game against the Green Bay Packers. Swell Traveler Mug .com) - The game was all punts and field goals before Kodi Whitfields catch.Bath No 8 Taulupe Faletau is looking forward to reporting for duty with Wales on Monday and a likely return to international action against South Africa next weekend. After an agreed 55-minute comeback in a 16-9 win over Bristol, a relaxed Faletau declared himself fit for duty after 10 weeks out with a medial knee ligament strain.It was good to be out there. Id have liked it to be longer, he said. Im going back in on Monday, after seeing how the boys get on tomorrow (Saturday against Japan). Reflecting on his rehabilitation and carefully managed return, he said: Its been good from my point of view. The coaches at both Bath and Wales have been in contact with each other and that has kept things going smoothly.If Im required next week, Ill be happy to give it a crack.Bath coach Todd Blackadder was happy to see Faletau come through without mishap, saying: I thought he was really solid without being outstanding. He did the basics really well. It was good to see him get through those minutes, wasnt it? Six months half price Upgrade to Sky Sports to watch England v Fiji on Saturday and get the first six months half price Asked whether he thought Faletau would be ready to face South Africa, he said: I think that will be the plan but that will be Waless call. He came through the game really well. Hes a world-class player and he just needed to get those minuttes under his belt for his confidence.dddddddddddd Hell be better for the run.Blackadder confirmed that fly-half Rhys Priestland had suffered an injury to his right knee, only weeks after recovering from a similar injury. I dont know what is wrong but it doesnt look great. It looks serious.On Baths performance, Blackadders feeling was one of relief: I dont think there was any lack of trying, just probably a lack of execution and discipline around line-outs, scrums and breakdown.Overall its a sense of relief rather than we really nailed it. A lack of combinations probably showed. When you are mixing your 12, 13 and 14 every week it takes its toll in tight games like this and you havent got the continuity. That will come.He added: Its disappointing that we played the game in the right part of the field in the second half but couldnt capitalise and take the game beyond seven points. Then at the end I thought it could go any way.Our defence has been outstanding all season. We just need to get some continuity in our attack and put sides under pressure. We lost the possession stakes. In the first 10 minutes we made 40 tackles and in the end that takes its toll.We couldnt buy a trick at the breakdown but our efficiency and breakdown wasnt there.Upgrade to Sky Sports now to watch England v Fiji and Ireland v New Zealand and get the first six months half price! Also See: Bath take derby win Wales v Japan preview Rugby on Sky Follow @SkySportsRugby ' ' '