I don't know if some can still remember the line-up screen of EHM?
Of course, don't use those ugly player models for LW, C , RW, LD, RD and G like EHM did in 1942 but I think you get the picture.
This is a very simple mock-up of how you can save some space while adding more content at the same time + giving it a more hockey feeling while looking at the sim.
1) Scoreboard at the top where it should be (most important content)
2) Ice-surface in perspective to give it a hockey feeling. This will be your main-background and you could buy some stockphoto to photoshop some crowd around it and make it more appealing ' like you're in an arena'. But don't make it too much detailed because else it will be in your face too much like the background right now. Also you could design a PSD template where 3rd party developers could add team logo's to center ice - this way each team could maybe get it's own background or fall back to default.
3) Sidebars on the side or just on one side with additional content..
Litte disclaimer make the active players on the ice also in perspective. The goalie in the back should be the smallest players on the ice while the front-goalie the biggest.
Thats how I should do it.