[Ditto]

Olympic hockey has become nothing but an expanded version of the NHL All Star game.

I disagree there. In the All Star game, there is no hitting. These games were hard hitting.

I think the biggest problem US players have is getting used to the 'big ice' in international hockey. I'd love to see the NHL expand the rink size. It's a better game, IMHO. But I know that ain't going to happen. They would lose too many prime seats doing that.

[Alberta's Child]

The NHL could gradually migrate to the larger ice surface the same way they made the transition to the current standard rink dimensions. Any new rink would be built to Olympic standards, while the existing ones could remain as-is until they are replaced.

It sounds like an odd way to run a league, but the NHL did it for years when they had some rinks with smaller ice surfaces (the Boston Garden and the Aud in Buffalo were two of the smallest).