It’s not just kids or young players that have gotten injured. Mark Tonirdi (a big tough non-speedster tinordi), broke his leg, Al MacInnis ahead a serious hip injury. Neither were speedsters, or young. Both were injured badly.
growing up I liked saying guys like Lafleur and Esposito without helmets - you could instantly recognize players. But there have been a lot of serious injuries of between players hitting theory head on the ice - nothing to do with the speed of the game, or inexperienced youth.
As far is OT goes. My preference would be no ties - you play regular sudden death OT until someone scores - just like regular season baseball games. The issue is that too many teams would play for the shoutout - habs last game was a perfect example of a team barely trying to win in OT. I don’t love the 3-on-3, or shootout, but prefer it over the old no tie. I think if they elongate the loser point (zero points for OT or shootout loss), teams should actually try to win in OT.
I enjoyed watching the game in the 70’s and 80’a a lot more than I do now. Part of it is I was still a kid, part of it was that it was a much more offensive league (a lot less systems and control by coaches), but a big part of is that the habs had much better teams. Having said that the players are bette Ethan they ever have been. Not just speed. Skills of today’s players, conditioning (imagine of Lafleur didn’t smoke a pack a day), and sport’s medicine (as much as I’m disgusted at Orr now, imagine him with today’s knee surgery and treatment options).
Ancient romans liked and enjoyed watching gladiators fight to the death. Ali Frazier 15 round fights were the most amazing fights ever. That doesn’t mean allowing either were right.