How to fix the game

Why is it that NHL is looking for ways to improve the game, and yet they do not have a contract yet? Isn't that an ass backwards way of doing things? Since I have already offered up my opinions of the lockout and how to end it, I will instead offer up my suggestions on how to make the game better.

1. You can talk about decreasing the size of goalie pads, which is great except it is not the solution. I bet the goalie equipment as grown in relation to a players stick as gotten lighter and more flexible. With these particular sticks the puck is shot harder and faster then in previous era's of the sport. Make stick weigh a certain weight or make players use the old wooden sticks.

2. There has been an increase of stick violations in previous seasons of the NHL. This could also be attributed to the fact the sticks are lighter then used to be. It is alot harder to get a stick up in the air when it weighs 32 oz instead of 8 or less oz that they weigh now.

I think what the NHL wants to do with the neutral zone and shoot outs at the end of the games is great, it will go a long way to make the game more exciting. I think they also need to shorten the amount of games they play. Make it 72 games or 70 games, so that they aren't playing 3 or 4 games a week. If there is one part of the game that I wouldn't want touched it would be the playoffs, that is greatest second season of any sport bar none. Its like 4 or more weeks of superbowl.