Tradition went out the window long ago: it’s time for the NHL to institute pond hockey in overtime.

That’s right. No blue line. No center red line. No offside rule. No icing. Just drop the puck and let the best players in the world take over.

Now, I want to be clear on something before people start to freak out. There still needs to be officials. I’m not advocating for utter lawlessness. I think the referees should be able to assess penalties if necessary.

But I’m over trying to police the game when there are only six skaters and two goaltenders on the ice. Why bother with lines? Why does the offside rule even exist when the whole point of overtime is to determine a winner?

Don’t get me wrong. I’ve come to enjoy the shootout. It’s a novelty reserved for the regular season. And I loved the challenge of it when I was playing. 

But I think the shootout should be the absolute last resort when it comes to finishing a hockey game. And I’m willing to take things to the extreme.

If the NHL were to open up the entire ice, I guarantee more games would finish with a hockey play. Isn’t that what most fans want anyway? I sure do. And I know countless former alumni feel the same way.

So why do we cling so hard to tradition? The NHL has already gone to three-versus-three in overtime. Why is taking away the lines a step too far?

I don’t think it is. But plenty of people seem to disagree.