the player pool has grown huge over my time watching the NHL .....I don't love it any more or less now than I did when I was a kid, teenager, young adult ,and now old geezer. It's always great and the best league going.Paul, you know as well as I do, that part of marketing the NHL is getting more active participation to grow the player pool, which helps grow interest.
Personally growing the player pool .....not something I think about , or hear about. Unless I'm on this board.
Cheers