My point is that rather than go back to things that worked *before* (tightly called obstruction, 10 minutes 5 on 5 ot) the NHL is so damn eager to throw away tradition in favor of gimmickry. And that's all Shootouts are, a gimmick meant as a band aid.
I say let's try a few of the less gimmicky alternatives (10 minutes 5 on5 Ot, 3 point regulation win, tag up off-side, calling obstruction, moving the nets back), and then if the situation isn't helped then lets go for some of the more radical changes.
Heck I could even live with 10 minutes of 4 on 4 OT, and allowing 2 line passing, but deciding a game with a shoot out is a 100% turn off.
Hell you can even look at penalties and go back to players serving the full duration of the penalty, or removing the right to ice the puck during a penalty kill. Or both! That in combination with stringent application of the rules will, increase scoring, give talented players more room, give teams incentive to carry more skill players vs muckers, and in turn reduce the number of ties (more scoring = more scoring in OT).
All these options are open, while still at least maintaining some form of continuity in the league...