average joe
Joined: Oct. 2020
Posts: 230
Likes: 102
1. The game is 60 minutes. Either call it a tie after 60, or decide a winner. Bring in 2.5 pts. for Reg. win, 2 pts. for OT win, 1.5 pts. for SOW, 1.0 pts. for SOL, 0.5 pts. for OTL, 0 pts. for Regular loss. More incentive to win in Regular time, or failing that, in OT. All games are 2.5 points. (Baseball has 1/2 games and people understand that). Or bring in 3-2-1 points, but that treat OTW same as SOW.
2. Leave OT and SO as is (I think kids like SO), and either you decide a winner or just call the game tie after 60. Don't switch ends for OT, so teams get the short change - reduce that meaningless cycling which has no intention of scoring, just tiring opponents so next shift can score.
3. Playoffs within Conference in 1st round and across League in 2nd. Make it harder for teams to have guaranteed spots locked up with little incentive to win (e.g. Boston, Leafs, TB). More fair for travel as every teams has possibility of large travel. Now, Patrick Division (Metro) is guaranteed to have little travel while the other 3 (and mostly the West 2) Divisions have lots of travel. Also increase chance of top teams in the League meeting in Finals. (Back in the 1980's, it was almost the Symthe Finals were the series that decided the Cup and the rest was let-down. In 90's, I recall Dallas, Detroit, Colorado was the real Final in the West and the only reason the East had a change was because the West tired each other out.
4. Reduce preseason and give teams an extra 3% salary cap and 1 roster spot for first 4 games. Also can dress 21 in first 4 games.
5. 4 Games in Division, 3 in Conference, 2 in Other Conference. 84 games total (note reduced preseason).
6. Participation in Olympics every 4 years in February. Participation in World Cup of Hockey every 4 years (staggered 2 years from Olympics) in September. Probably 12 teams in Olympics (since must be finished in less than 2 weeks. Probably 16 teams (countries, not gimmick all-star teams) in World Cup lasting just over 2 weeks.