There is a major problem with Youth Hockey.  It is too intense and too focused at too young an age.  Youth Hockey has to find a way to make the season shorter.  Otherwise, I see fewer and fewer kids playing hockey over time and fewer and fewer families investing, time, energy and money into the sport.  Hockey Programs and Ice Rinks need to work together to structure programs that will allow the rinks to be profitable, but at the same time, not have to force youth hockey programs to sign up for large chunks of ice time for a period from Sept through April.  Ice Hockey has a growing problem and it needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.