In response to Hollman's article that begins with the shootout, I would have to say I completely agree. There is no doubt that the shootout was a step in the right direction for the league, and the fact that every game has a winner is obviously a major improvement on past seasons. However, it must be noted that this overtime system could be vastly improved. From what I've heard the league has been investigating various methods of change in regards overtime, but the proposal I like the most has to be the 10 minute overtime.

There is little doubt among hockey fans that the continuous overtime of the playoffs is one of the most amazing things in all of professional sports. The mere potential to go 2 and 3 overtime periods before determining a winner creates riveting television, with so much riding on the next goal. While the regular season can never replicate that playoff atmosphere, the current overtime does have its own distinct level of excitement. The very small change from a 5 minute overtime to a 10 minute overtime would exend that excitement and leave more opportunities for teams to win the game with an actual goal. I love the shootout like anyone else, but truthfully I would much rather see the game end on a goal, rather than watch 3 or more individual players try to win the game on shootout attempts.

The new 10 minute overtime would take no effort to implement, and I'm sure the fans have no problem watching an extra five minutes of hockey, if indeed the game would go to a shootout. The problem with hockey is that while there really aren't any glaring problems, the game could still be much improved, but the league either refuses to make changes or does not recognize where such changes would enhance the game.