I agree with Eric that this is an awful gimmick, but if the idea is to open up the game, or at least create more scoring, then as he suggested, make goaltenders equipment smaller.  I would add that making the NZ trap illegal would help.  I think it was Scotty Bowman that said this could be done by a rule change making it illegal for defensive forwards to skate backwards through the neutral zone.  Also, increased scrutiny by the refs on holding and obstruction calls would help.  See Hockey East's open letter to the college hockey community:  http://www.hockeyeastonline.com/presarch/1004/oct15in.html.

Having said this, let's suppose this funky net does get adopted.  Would an unintended consequence of this make goaltenders adopt more of a standup style?  I'm not in favor of an Eddie-Shore-lash-his-arm-to-the-crossbar approach, but I always liked the standup style.

Craig Knowles
UNH '71
Thanks again Wildcats, a great all-season effort in a "rebuilding" year.