General gist I got from this is advancements in technology; experimental mental technique to make players smarter; smaller goalie equipment; and an overall increase in athleticism has contributed to the increase of skill among today's players.
This ^^^^More teams, worse players in league
Smaller goalie equipment
Barely any hitting , guys don’t have to be worried about getting smoked anymore
Overtime 3 on 3
Coaches pulling goalies with 4 minutes left easy points
I’m sure their is other reasons as well.