Compressing the NHL schedule somehow even more than it already is, or shortening the playoffs, are both bad ideas, IMO, and those are really the only ways you're going to shorten things up. Again, this is a very demanding sport, physically, and mentally. Getting the players to agree to any of that, and/or to take shorter time off in the offseason is not gonna happen. Getting the players to agree to shorter training camp won't happen, either, and is a terrible idea, unless you want really bad hockey the first 10-20 games of the season, or you want to see more injuries.
I rarely hear of anyone complaining about the length of the NHL season, or the preseason. In like 14-15 years on here, I don't even know if I've seen it complained about by anyone really, outside of you. Most complaints are related to MLB running way too long. I think you're making something out of nothing. Just my opinion.
Lots and lots of people are happy focusing on the NHL playoffs in May and June. Baseball is pretty much garbage to watch(in cold weather climates like Chicago) until June, anyways.
I mean, I see you keep talking about the preseason being too long, and that's just nonsense. Like I said, the training camp/preseason for the NHL is basically shorter than any other major sport. NFL is around a month just for preseason games and practices, and that doesn't include camps and such. Baseball runs for like 40 days. The NBA runs for like 2 weeks, just like the NHL.
I get it. You want to watch meaningful hockey. You want to see Bedard. A two week preseason schedule isn't going to mean much of anything when you consider they play for like 7 months even without playoffs.