NHL All-Canadiens...I mean Allstar game

[joisyan]

How many people think the Allstars being 100% fan voted is complete BS? I'm not sure if this has been touched up on IHC yet. I think it's rediculous that there are quite a few players that don't deserve to be in the Allstar game this season and even more that should be in but aren't. I'm not taking credit away from them as being Allstar caliber, just that they don't stand out THIS season.

I also think it's rediculous that no player from the west got over 1 million votes. Do you fans in the Western Conference even care? There are more fans in Pittsburgh and Montreal voting numerous times than there are total fans in Chicago voting for their favorite players.

I also think it's messed up that guys like Ovechkin, Savard, and Chara aren't starters. I'm personally a Flyers fan, so it'd be nice to see Gagne or Richards or even Carter for the way they're performing this season, but there's no high horse to ride on. They're not doing AS good as these other guys. But come on...thanks for screwing it up for me Montreal and Pittsburgh fans. I can at least understand Malkin and Crosby being voted top two, they're top two in stats and stature on their team, but not Fleury. NO ONE can argue that Fleury is having a better season than Tim Thomas. At least Carey Price has some decent stats to accomodate his votes.

I highly doubt I will care as much about the Allstar game this season seeing as it just doesn't feel like an Allstar game. It's more like a fan favorite.

[PGHhockey]

Always has been a joke, Tim. But it was less of a joke before you could text-message your favorite (hometown) team to the voting box 10,000 times and give them all a vote.

Plus it's not like the guys you mentioned won't get on the team (Carter, Ovechkin, hopefully Richards, Thomas/Manny).

[Alex Kozik]

Electronic voting is what screwed it up. There were stories about Montreal fans, specifically, using Firefox scripts to automatically vote over and over again.

Alex

[General28]

The fact that Ovechkin wasn't named a starter and that Mike Green didn't even make the team shows that the All Star game is getting as bad as when supposed "all star" teams are selected in Little League.

[AJ Barnett]

I also think it's rediculous that no player from the west got over 1 million votes. Do you fans in the Western Conference even care?

To answer that question, no we don't care. We don't see the importance in sending our players to play in a stupid event. We prefer to see our players rest out the four day weekend, as it is one of the few that they get all season. We are more focused on cheering our players and the team they play for to a Stanley Cup Championship.

[quick_dry]

I wonder what the players think, is there an effect on play when they feel ripped off from a deserved spot on the All-Star lineup? (a well as the possible money payoffs that come being ableto market yourself as an all-star team player)

[LukePhillips]

It's the NHL All-Star game! Who cares, no one watches it anyway. And for good reason.

[RichardGraham]

Hi Folks,

I'm not sure how you would keep politics out if it, and I have to agree that there are very few NHL All-Star Games I've ever taken the time to watch, mostly because there's no hitting, and that's not NHL hockey.

On the other hand, I was fortunate enough to be in San Jose to see Owen Nolan pick his spot as he skated in on a breakaway on Dominik Hasek -- and then scored -- in the spot where he'd pointed.

I was at that game because I worked for Roller Hockey Magazine at the time, and the publisher (Mark Brown) received several tickets... and was gracious enough to give me one.

That is an NHL All-Star Game moment that I will always remember and cherish... even though neither of those players belong to my Los Angeles Kings. (After 40 years of failure, I think I finally understand what Cubs' fans are all about.)

[LukePhillips]

Hi Folks,

I'm not sure how you would keep politics out if it, and I have to agree that there are very few NHL All-Star Games I've ever taken the time to watch, mostly because there's no hitting, and that's not NHL hockey.

On the other hand, I was fortunate enough to be in San Jose to see Owen Nolan pick his spot as he skated in on a breakaway on Dominik Hasek -- and then scored -- in the spot where he'd pointed.

I was at that game because I worked for Roller Hockey Magazine at the time, and the publisher (Mark Brown) received several tickets... and was gracious enough to give me one.

That is an NHL All-Star Game moment that I will always remember and cherish... even though neither of those players belong to my Los Angeles Kings. (After 40 years of failure, I think I finally understand what Cubs' fans are all about.)
I see where you're coming from in that game, it was fun. Much like MLB's HR Derby. You can tell the guys are having a blast and goofing off and that makes it fun. All the NHL All-Star events guys ginger around with a "Don't get hurt, can't get hurt" attitude and a "is this over yet?" look on their face.

Not to mention last year it was on like a Wednesday afternoon on Versus. Didn't want to interfere with bass fishing later that night I presume.

[joisyan]

i could understand the lack of interest due to the lack of physical play. however, the all star game is the time for all of the skill players to show off what they're capable of doing without having to worry about having their heads taken off. that's the reason i like it. it's kind of like seeing a real pro inline game almost. the refs usually let offsides and high sticks go alot more under the radar and just let them play.

but as far as letting them rest, i can definately understand that. but i think that in post lockout nhl, it definately helps to get more endorsements and a higher salary. and being voted an allstar sure helps your odds. the pricetag on your head grows more to other teams when you become a ufa. and in today's nhl with all of the "renting" of free agents, your former team can use you as trade bait. kind of like how philly aquired braydon coburn for richard zednik, steal!

[AJ Barnett]

The NHL needs to go back to the classic All Star format, much like how the CHL is doing things this year. The defending champion from the past season (so in the NHL's case, the Detroit Red Wings) plays against a team of league all stars.

Or, do it like baseball. The winning conference takes home field advantage in the finals. In our case, home ice advantage. Add a competitive flair to the game, make it mean something.

[PGHhockey]

This one has been pretty well publicized...

http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/extras/bruins_blog/2009/01/no_bonus_for_ke.html

I've read and/or thought of 2 ideas that could make the game more fun:

(Read this one)
Come up with some kind of system to select 36 skaters and 6 goalies from the entire league and throw them all in a pool (fan voting, coaches' selection, AP selection, whatever). Get everyone out on the ice, and have the 2 top vote-getters pick teams (like an old-school street hockey game) 1-by-1 and play against each other. As the original writer of this concept said: "Team Crosby vs. Team Malkin - now that's cool."

(Came up with this one in my own feeble mind)
Play the game as a under-30 vs. 30 & over game (or whatever arbitrary age you choose - might wanna skew it lower because of all the young talent in the game. Maybe 27 or 28?).

Old vets vs. young stars - that would be fun.

[RichardGraham]

Hi AJ,


Or, do it like baseball. The winning conference takes home field advantage in the finals. In our case, home ice advantage. Add a competitive flair to the game, make it mean something.

This idea proved disastrous to Roller Hockey International back in the day, as the Anaheim Bullfrogs had the best record in the league and the Orlando Jackals were given home-court advantage because the Eastern Conference All-Stars had won that season's All-Star Game. Not only did it enrage the Bullfrogs, it gave the league another black eye that it certainly didn't need at the time.

[Tekkaman]

I think they should have 4 teams, this way more stars can play and have a small tournament structure. This way, fans can watch their favorite players from their teams. The NHL has too many stars to make up only 2 teams. How great would it be to watch these games in a tournament structure. It'll be fun for the players and it will also make the players more competitive.

[CUDangled]

In theory this would be fun to watch, but the players barely care enough to put on ONE good game, do you think they would take the time/energy/risk to play out an entire tournament?

Yes, it is SUPPOSED to be about entertaining the fans, but in reality it is a business and they want to protect their assets (body).

[quick_dry]

it is strange that it is like that, with nobody really caring. In Rugby League there is the 'State of Origin' - similar concept, a full-contact All-Star 3 game series in mid-season with players split by their 'state of origin' (either New South Wales or Queensland). It is fought out (sometimes quite literally fought) tooth and nail. Its a HUGE rivalry, think USA v Canada type rivalry.

Why don't they care about the all-star game, or how could you make them care about it more? ours is probably partly cultural, one of the goals/dreams of most avid footy kids is to grow up and play for the Blues or Maroons in State of Origin.

[CUDangled]

Why is it like that? Greed? Who knows...

Other sports in the US have the same issue with their "all-star" games. I think baseball gave home field advantage in the world series to the winning league of the all-star game? Maybe I am just making that up...really can't remember. I don't really pay attention to MLB. I think the last game I watched was the season Sosa and McGuire were going for the HR record. Since then the only MLB I have seen is on Sportscenter.

As pro salaries go up, I become a bigger fan of college sports. Where the players still give 110% in every game and play for their TEAM, not their next contract. They still are working to make it to the next level, but to get noticed, they know their TEAM needs to be noticed first.