Changes to the All Star game
Posted 8:12 PM ET | Comments 5
The NHL All Star game is in need of a major adjustment. While I do enjoy the skills competition and the young stars game, the big show is more of a big disappointment. First of all not all of the games stars are there, albeit some of them are injured and that is understandable. I really dislike the fact that every team needs to be represented and fan balloting system is flawed. Just a few player who should be there but are not....
Mike Richards
Brian Rafalski
Henrik Zetterberg
Patrik Elias
Mikko Koivu
David Krejci
Just to name a few, now how about some players that are there that maybe shouldn't be there....
Milan Hejduk
Keith Tkachuk
Alex Kovalev
Mike Komisarek
Dany Heatley
Here is what I suggest, first off I would change the day of the event and make it at the end of the pre-season. So the 2008-09 All Star game would be played on October 1, 2009 thus spots on the team would be based on a full season of production and all players should be healthy. The Game would move alternating venues in North America and Europe. To increase the competitive feel of the game I would give the winning team home ice advantage in the Cup finals like in the World Series.
The Skills competition would remain the same while in North America but while in Europe it would pit the NHL's best against Host league's All Stars, while the Young Stars game would pit 2008-09 Rookies against 2009 Drafted players ie. Stamkos, Doughty, Schenn and Mason vs Tavares, Hedman, Cowan and Olivier Roy.
All this being said I do believe that the players do need a break in the season and that a 5 day break (Mon-thru Fri as to not take away from the weekend draw) in February.
What are your thoughts?
Mike Richards
Brian Rafalski
Henrik Zetterberg
Patrik Elias
Mikko Koivu
David Krejci
Just to name a few, now how about some players that are there that maybe shouldn't be there....
Milan Hejduk
Keith Tkachuk
Alex Kovalev
Mike Komisarek
Dany Heatley
Here is what I suggest, first off I would change the day of the event and make it at the end of the pre-season. So the 2008-09 All Star game would be played on October 1, 2009 thus spots on the team would be based on a full season of production and all players should be healthy. The Game would move alternating venues in North America and Europe. To increase the competitive feel of the game I would give the winning team home ice advantage in the Cup finals like in the World Series.
The Skills competition would remain the same while in North America but while in Europe it would pit the NHL's best against Host league's All Stars, while the Young Stars game would pit 2008-09 Rookies against 2009 Drafted players ie. Stamkos, Doughty, Schenn and Mason vs Tavares, Hedman, Cowan and Olivier Roy.
All this being said I do believe that the players do need a break in the season and that a 5 day break (Mon-thru Fri as to not take away from the weekend draw) in February.
What are your thoughts?
You forgot Carey Price.
I read that Rafaslki was asked to go (like Hossa) but refused to go. This is another problem, when players decide to skip the game.As for Kovalev and Komisarek, you know why they are here and they wouldn't be there at any another time, but this is the 100th season of the habs.I agree with changing the date of the event. I would make more sens. I also agree, the one player at least by team should go (did you notice that the red wings will have no representent, except Babcok?).But the contreversy around that game will never go away, even with some changes.
Heard an interesting idea that the skills is on one night followed by the winter classic the next, the problem of course is try to hold this in say... florida. It would bring the biggest two markee events together though and get rid of the crap star game they have now. Another idea is that which ever side wins gets home ice in the stanley cup final so they actually play and have a reason to play!
I've read many ideas on how to change the all star game to better reflect the game, or how to better market the game. I've heard they were thinking about only doing it every four years, with the Olympics, the World Cup of Hockey, and a Hockey Convention filling the other three years. This is a mistake. Every major sport has an annual all star festivity, and the NHL should be no different, except they do need some changes. First of all, I know you want the website hits, and think fan interaction is a big thing, but it's not. Instead, let the players, coaches, and GM's vote - or, just take the top scoring players, the real all stars, and stick them in the game. At least we won't end up with ballot stuffing, and a starting line up that reflects only a couple of team's fans. For real, why do Habs fans really want to see their team playing another regular hockey game. Even as a Leafs fan (and this is if they had any real all stars lol), I wouldn't WANT more than one in the starting line up. The fans messed up this year, not the NHL. It's about seeing Crosby play on the same line as Ovechkin, once a year. I do like the idea of bringing back the Canada, or North America VS. the world concept. The only flaw is that once again, we'll have to leave very deserving people out. Anyway, the skills competition is fun to watch - I hope the moves in the shootout portion are a little more refined - and the game could be one of the better all star games out there, we just have to make it count. I know hockey is a physical sport, and this is meant as a break to the players, but let's be honest, non-competitive hockey, is not fun hockey to watch. Rewards to the winning players, money, home ice advantage for the conference in the finals, I don't care. Just give them something they'll care about winning.
Changing the date is a large part of what would fix the game. As well the reason to watch the Just drafted class against the rookie class is because I feel there will be a lot of competition between them the NHL rookies would not want to get beat by kids who were just drafted.