Slap Shots has learned that the PA Executive Board — which consists of the 30 player reps plus the current Executive Committee officers — will hold a conference call today chaired by Ted Saskin, in which it will discuss, if not vote on, narrowing the payroll band that would thus reduce the cap beginning next season. Apparently terrified by the prospect of significant escrow losses over the life of the CBA, the PA appears poised to accept the NHL's long-preferred payroll band of $10M as opposed to the $16M set forth in the agreement. This would fix the cap at $5M above the calculated midpoint, not $8M, with the floor similarly established. Which means that if this season's revenues come in at the now projected $2B, next season's cap will be $41.55M rather than $44.55M. Which means that free agents will have dramatically fewer options available to them when they hit the open market...