As a Canadian, I have a vested interest in all things Hockey as it is the lifeblood of my country. This past weekend was the NHL All-Star Game and as usual it was horrible. The strange thing about the NHL All-Star Game is that every year it sucks for different reasons. Usually the game sucks because all the players deemed “All Stars” are usually a bunch of slick skating dandies who avoid contact like the plague, and the best hitters, defensive players and others to contribute to other phases of the game are left to enjoy a weekend of naval gazing.This year the game itself was actually kind of entertaining with the West being down four goals after the first period and then fighting back to tie the game only to loose with mere seconds left on the clock. It seems like a tight game got some competitive juices flowing.
One thing I would change about the All Star Game is the roster selection. First, do away with the rule that all teams should be represented. Some teams are just so gawd-awful that they do not deserve to have a representative.
Second, let the coach of each All Star Team have one selection. Since the coach of the All Star team is generally coach of the best team in the conference up to the mid point in the season, this selection would allow an under-appreciated member of that team to compete in an All Star Game.
Finally, let the players choose one roster spot on each team. This can go to another player who is under appreciated and who can be
recognized for something other than point production.
My bigger issues this year was was with the “day before events” namely the Young Stars Game and the Skills Competition. I think that the overall problem with this day is that it tries so hard to be like the NBA Skills competition. Hockey skills do not translate well in isolation. The exciting thing about hockey is that it all occurs so fast and when someone is forced to show skill in a game it is breathtaking because it is done under such fast pressure and with the potential to be involved in a train wreck of a hit. When there are no defenders on the ice, the skills look pretty pedestrian. No one cares if you can complete a saucer pass in isolation, they want to see you do it while skating 40 km/hour with a 220lb defenceman bearing down on you. The skills that make up the skills competition should be left to the subjects of barroom arguments, ie, the fastest skater, the hardest shot and the person with the best moves. In other words, simplify.
I liked the breakaway competition in terms of watchability but it was jammed into the schedule with not a thought to how it was going to run. Here are my suggestions on how to fix it.
1. Make scoring a priority. This years version of the event had people getting higher scores where they missed than people who actually scored on the goalie. I’m sure that any of these so called “skill guys” could string a number of awesome moves together so long as they are not concerned with having to actually hit the net. Next year you should get a raw score out of 10 for style of the move, then a bonus point for putting the puck on net and two points for actually scoring.
2. Goalies have to stay in the crease at all time. Last night goalies were coming out to meet the skaters midway down the circles and poke-checking them. C’mon, no one at head office saw this coming. Goalies are competitive guys too. They will do anything to save the puck from going in the net but it takes the fun out of the spectacle.
3. Let the shooters call out the goalie they want to face by name. This creates best on best or personal rivalries. It also creates talking points. I want to see Ovechkin call out Luongo by name. I want to be able to argue if Marion Gaborik would have been as successful if he had chosen Brodeur instead of Di Pietro.
4. Do not limit the event to just the all stars, let anyone who wants to compete into the game. The Edmonton Oilers have won more games this year by shootout and Sam Gagne has been shooting an awesome percentage. I want to see him in the competition.
The final suggestion I have is for the over all NHL All Star weekend. Please, pick a format and stick with it. The NHL changes the format of the All Star Weekend every year. Nothing smell of desperation like this constant level of change. It says to the fan “we do not believe in our product an need to continuously toy with it to make it better. “
