5 on 5 play is pretty boring these days with how structured defenses are, and how pretty much any unimpeded shot is going to be stopped by goaltenders these days. I'm definitely tuned out of games these days if not much is going on, and I'm what would likely be considered an avid fan. If making the goalies pads smaller can lead to offenses having more opportunities to score simply by shooting the puck at the net, it should be done to make the game more exciting.
The NHL desperately wants to draw in new fans - especially those of younger age in this social media world. The NHL is a fast paced game like the NBA is, but the NBA is more exciting to watch from start to finish for majority of sport fans on this continent not just because of it's accessibility/diversity, but because it has a lot more highlight worthy action that occurs on a frequent bases. Every possession can lead to a Sportscenter Highlight of the Night.
People want to see exciting offensive plays. NHL needs to work on increasing that as much as possible, while still maintaining the integrity of the game.
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