The idea of the NHL All Star Game in theory is a great one. The game features the best players around the entire league going against each other; top goalies battling the best shooters and defensemen versus quick skaters. There are some things the NHL is doing right with the weekend event and other things they can improve on. First I will list and explain the positives, then the negatives and then my suggestions all around.
Pros
The start time of the game- The actual game on Sunday started at 6PM Eastern Time which is perfect for all of the young hockey fans. This is great in comparison to the MLB or NBA all star games that start much later. This is probably the most important aspect of the weekend because if you get children involved in the sport most likely they will enjoy it as adults and that creates long term revenue.
The atmosphere- There is nothing better than playing an all star game where hockey itself originated, in Canada. The NHL should keep the game there every single year. Hockey is number one in Canada and they should reward their top fans on a yearly basis. The game should be rotated throughout all of Canada’s teams to keep it fair.
Cons
Lack of intensity- I understand that none of the players want to get hurt in the middle of the season but if the playing are not giving it their all what is the point of even playing? At first the players doing tricks and scoring goals is exciting but as you continue to watch the game you are wondering why you are wasting your time watching it.
Similar jerseys- The isn’t exactly important to the game itself but from a marketing stand point and just for the players not getting confused why do the jerseys have to be so similar? It would be so much more convenient and simple if the jerseys were completed opposites, such as one all black and one all red.
Get rid of skills night- This may be the least logical night of the whole weekend. Think about it, why should I waste my time watching players skate around the rink and have a pointless penalty shootout where a win is not on the line. I would much rather watch players skate as fast they can trying to be victorious in game then on an empty rink. Also I want to see Alexander Ovechkin score a shootout goal against the Rangers not against a minor league goalie.
In other sports an all star game can be played with less intensity and still be enjoyable but in a game such as hockey it is very difficult because it is such an intense sport. If you are not going to have checking and the offense players are not going to shoot as hard as they can why bother playing this game? The NHL teams would never let their star players or any player for that matter go all out in a game that doesn’t count; hockey is all about the players emotion and giving it everything they have every time they step on the ice so if they are going to be restricted on playing the game the way it is supposed to be played the game has no purpose whatsoever.
Pros
The start time of the game- The actual game on Sunday started at 6PM Eastern Time which is perfect for all of the young hockey fans. This is great in comparison to the MLB or NBA all star games that start much later. This is probably the most important aspect of the weekend because if you get children involved in the sport most likely they will enjoy it as adults and that creates long term revenue.
The atmosphere- There is nothing better than playing an all star game where hockey itself originated, in Canada. The NHL should keep the game there every single year. Hockey is number one in Canada and they should reward their top fans on a yearly basis. The game should be rotated throughout all of Canada’s teams to keep it fair.
Cons
Lack of intensity- I understand that none of the players want to get hurt in the middle of the season but if the playing are not giving it their all what is the point of even playing? At first the players doing tricks and scoring goals is exciting but as you continue to watch the game you are wondering why you are wasting your time watching it.
Similar jerseys- The isn’t exactly important to the game itself but from a marketing stand point and just for the players not getting confused why do the jerseys have to be so similar? It would be so much more convenient and simple if the jerseys were completed opposites, such as one all black and one all red.
Get rid of skills night- This may be the least logical night of the whole weekend. Think about it, why should I waste my time watching players skate around the rink and have a pointless penalty shootout where a win is not on the line. I would much rather watch players skate as fast they can trying to be victorious in game then on an empty rink. Also I want to see Alexander Ovechkin score a shootout goal against the Rangers not against a minor league goalie.
In other sports an all star game can be played with less intensity and still be enjoyable but in a game such as hockey it is very difficult because it is such an intense sport. If you are not going to have checking and the offense players are not going to shoot as hard as they can why bother playing this game? The NHL teams would never let their star players or any player for that matter go all out in a game that doesn’t count; hockey is all about the players emotion and giving it everything they have every time they step on the ice so if they are going to be restricted on playing the game the way it is supposed to be played the game has no purpose whatsoever.
I will be sending this blog post to NHL commissioner Bettman to see what his opinion on this matter is. Don't forget to post comments and I will discuss your views as soon as possible.
Daniel Weberman
NYchalktalk.com
Posts
1 comments:
Oh please...
I can't even take any of this seriously....
Get Rid of the Skills?! It is truly amazing how talented some of these guys are and this is their chance to show off their stuff. The skills have been a part of the All-Star weekend since 1990 and every year they have been a lot of fun for both the fans and the players. No true hockey fan would want to see the skills contests go.
Also, you can't say that you want the guys to go all out in the all-star game. It's insane to risk the players' health on a game that means nothing. It's one thing if you want to get rid of the game all together, but I think that viewers enjoy the game for what it is: A chance for guys to show off their skills.
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