 Aside from his career in hockey , Ross was interested in improving the game . Prior to the start of the 1927 – 28 season , the NHL adopted a new style of goal net created by Ross . With the back <unk> into a B @-@ shape , it was better designed to catch <unk> and the net was used until 1984 , when a modified version was adopted . He also improved the design of the puck . Ross ' design had <unk> edges , which prevented it bouncing too much , and used synthetic rubber , rather than the natural rubber previously in vogue . Along with New York Rangers coach Frank Boucher , Ross helped to create the red line , which was introduced to help speed up the game by removing the ability for defenders to pass the puck from the defensive to offensive zone ; until 2006 it was against the rules of hockey to make a two line pass . More scoring chances resulted as teams could not simply send the puck down the ice with <unk> . In order to help tell the red line and blue lines apart on television , Ross suggested that the red line be striped . 
