Everyone has a different view on whether a bigger net is really the best solution for the continued decline in offense. Some are in favor, some see it as a last resort, some have completely different ideas, and some don't even think that near record-low scoring is a problem. And that's fine. We can save the whole "bigger nets" argument for another day.
But there's one small piece of the larger debate that needs to go away: the argument that changing the size of the nets would be some sort of unforgivable assault on the NHL's history. Appeal to tradition has its place, especially with old-school types like me, but acting as if the dimensions found on an NHL rink are somehow sacrosanct is just silly.
In no particular order, here's a quick list of just some of the changes we've made to the standard NHL rink in recent years without anybody crying about tradition or the sanctity of the record book: moving the bluelines; changing the goal crease; moving the goal line away from the boards; removing the faceoff hash marks; adding that trapezoid thing; changing the goal crease again; restoring slightly different faceoff hash marks; moving the goal line back to where it was before; changed the crease yet again.
Oh, and we also raised the glass around the rink, put up protective netting, painted ads and slogans all over everything, and changed a few dozen rules, including big ones like two-line passes, shootouts and giving points to teams that lose.
We did all this after living through an era where half the league's arenas had completely different ice surface dimensions, and to this day plenty of people want to make all the league's rinks 15 feet wider. And everyone just shrugs at all of it because hey, things change, you know?
So we've basically spent the last few decades changing everything on an NHL rink except the nets. Well, as long as you ignore the fact that we actually did change the size of the nets, just two years ago, and nobody remembers because nobody cared. Apparently changing the net by a few inches in this direction is a terrible thing that irrevocably alters the fabric of the game forever, but a few inches in that direction is no big deal. I will never understand you, hockey net truthers.
So yes, sure, be against bigger nets if you must. Push for some idea you think is better, or push for nothing at all. Just don't invoke tradition as your trump card, because it's a ridiculous stand to take in a league where everything is constantly being tinkered with. Bigger nets is a silly and completely arbitrary place to draw the line. And if there's one thing the NHL loves, it's changing where we draw the lines.
Though, honestly, whether the average fan knows doesn't matter to me. In fact, I really don't think it even applies. It's more about maintaining the same standard measurements for scoring.