Back in the day, hockey was primarily a defensive sport.  Great shooters took aim at great goalies who actually stopped the puck and gave way to great defenders who cleared it.

This has all changed in the NHL of 2009, as evidenced by yesterday's All-Star game.

Displayed on a cable network watched primarily by three hunters in Minnesota and two bull riders in Tulsa, the NHL's finest played to an 11-11 tie which was settled with a (gasp) shootout.

This kind of offensive juggernaut and it's minor league themed ending must have made NHL commish Gary Bettman smile like the cat that just devoured a large canary.  And why not?  Since Bettman took over sixteen years ago, this is what he's wanted: More offense, less defense, less body contact, more open skating, smaller equipped, less skilled goal tending and gimmicks like the shootout.

You know, all the things old school hockey fans hate.

Back in the day, you used to watch Bobby Hull come in on Ken Dryden with a 100mph slap shot and get stoned.  That's hockey at its' finest.  Sprinkle in a crisp, board jarring check from Claude Lemeux and you've got a terrific game.  Some of that still goes on, but if it were up to the Comish, hockey would be a wide open sport, just like in Europe with minimal body contact.  And, fighting would be a thing of the past.

They are debating right now the merits of fighting in the NHL.  While it won't get banned entirely, new edicts may be issued to restrict it.  Which will render it to a point where it will become a staged, sort of roller derby event where one time a game the heavyweights will square off, drop the gloves for thirty seconds and that will be it.  Oh, it's that way right now?  Never mind.

Hockey is a great sport because it combines speed with body contact with great physical agility.  Legislate against any of those components and you've ruined the game.  Add gimmicks like shootouts and you've taken the game down a peg.  For all of those who favor the shootouts, let me remind you that every major sport does not change formats to accommodate ties.  There is no "tenth inning home run derby" in baseball, no "free throw shootout" in the NBA and the NFL doesn't go into college football mode to decide a tie.  All three of those major sports keep their regular format.  Thank goodness the shootout hasn't spread to the playoffs, where overtime hockey is among one of the most exciting things in sports.

Recently, the NHL has been making a comeback due to a glut of young stars and a few key franchises undergoing a renaissance.  Many fans, are rediscovering the excitement that is the NHL.  The question continues to be, just what are they discovering and are they enjoying it.