No Red Wings on All Star starting line up

[Doggy 130]

The "undeserving starter" BS and the stuff where every team has to have a representative are some reasons why I have thought the All-Star weekend should be transformed from a skills competition and a West vs. East game into the following:

The Cup finalists, as well as East and West All-Star teams, play a four-team tournament in the city of the team that won the Cup. The tournament format would be finalist vs All-Stars in the first round, divided by conference. A total of four games would be played, with a "winners" game and a "losers" game played on the final day.

So the schedule might go as follows:

Thursday, 7 p.m. EST

Skills Competition

Friday, 7 p.m. EST

Skills Competition

Saturday, 12:30 p.m. EST

Game 1: Eastern Conference Finalist vs. Eastern Conference All-Stars

Saturday, 3:30 p.m. EST

Game 2: Western Conference Finalist vs. Western Conference All-Stars

Sunday, 12:30 p.m. EST

Game 3: Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2

Sunday, 3:30 p.m. EST

Game 4: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2

Not only does this turn the All-Star Game into four games, it removes the typical 3-4 players the defending conference champions get from the All-Star team. Plus, it really makes for more of an All-Star WEEKEND. Each All-Star team would dress 18 skaters and 3 goaltenders.

Think about some of the teams that make the Finals eva. How do you think Edmonton and Carolina would have fared in this format the year after they made the Finals? They weren't even playoff teams. End of idea.

[eva unit zero 271]

Think about some of the teams that make the Finals eva. How do you think Edmonton and Carolina would have fared in this format the year after they made the Finals? They weren't even playoff teams. End of idea.

Most finalists do well the year after they make the finals. That was an extremely unusual situation with one team losing a key player (Edmonton being forced to trade Pronger away while already being a borderline team) and the other team suffering some key injuries up front that caused major loss of offense; a 46-goal swing (Carolina scored 53 fewer and allowed 7 fewer) which was the ultimate difference between a division championship and missing the playoffs in a tight race. Carolina missed the playoffs by 4 points and the division title by 9.

The chances of ONE finalist missing the playoffs the next season are slim based on history; two was a complete fluke. If you prefer, run a three-team tournament where the defending champs play a game against each All-Star team and the All-Stars play a game.

[Cern 0]

People were complaining similarly about the Fitzpatrick ordeal, but the problem isn't the fans. The problem is the NHL's system regarding the starters for the ASG. Fans are going to be fans and likely they vote for their team. The NHL accepts multiple votes from the same person, they pretty much ***** themselves out for it. I don't think your ire should be against the fans.

I treated the Fitzpatrick affair as a means to drive home the notion that the problem is the NHL's system, oddly enough.

[Doggy 130]

Most finalists do well the year after they make the finals. That was an extremely unusual situation with one team losing a key player (Edmonton being forced to trade Pronger away while already being a borderline team) and the other team suffering some key injuries up front that caused major loss of offense; a 46-goal swing (Carolina scored 53 fewer and allowed 7 fewer) which was the ultimate difference between a division championship and missing the playoffs in a tight race. Carolina missed the playoffs by 4 points and the division title by 9.

The chances of ONE finalist missing the playoffs the next season are slim based on history; two was a complete fluke. If you prefer, run a three-team tournament where the defending champs play a game against each All-Star team and the All-Stars play a game.

It would be even less entertaining than the current format (which is tough to do) plus, no way in hell would teams agree to potentially play three meaningless games. If I were Holland, I'd be overwhelmingly pissed to see my enitre roster travelling and playing on the All-Star weekend.

Horrible idea. Thankfully, it'll never happen.

[Maaq 0]

But, isn't there a rule that says than no matter the number of votes, there has to be at least ONE player to represent each team? I know last year there was no one for Colorado, but that was a fluke because the player did not want to play. But ... could Datsy, Z or Liddy actually say no to a invitation?

Edited January 6, 2009 by Maaq

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

But, isn't there a rule that says than no matter the number of votes, there has to be at least ONE player to represent each team? I know last year there was no one for Colorado, but that was a fluke because the player did not want to play. But ... could Datsy, Z or Liddy actually say no to a invitation?

Only the starting line up is determined by votes, ie 6 players for each conference. The league picks the rest of the players and yes, they make an effort to make sure every team is represented if they can. A couple years ago Yannic Perrault made it in for the Coyotes, and while he was a decent center and expert face off man, he and the whole of the Yotes had no business being anywhere near the All-Star Game.

As to the other question, players can choose to stay home if they want, so yes.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

I can't wait to see Mike Komisarek in the skills competition.

[Bluedevils_13 0]

Seriously, how does Ovechkin not get voted in. The startes features no players from the top three teams in each conference.

DISGRACE.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

Seriously, how does Ovechkin not get voted in. The startes features no players from the top three teams in each conference.

DISGRACE.

Because dumb asses from French Canada were allowed to vote.

[eva unit zero 271]

It would be even less entertaining than the current format (which is tough to do) plus, no way in hell would teams agree to potentially play three meaningless games. If I were Holland, I'd be overwhelmingly pissed to see my enitre roster travelling and playing on the All-Star weekend.

Horrible idea. Thankfully, it'll never happen.

They wouldn't be travelling; all the games would be in Detroit (defending champs this year) so the only players travelling would be the All-Stars, and only to the host city where all the games are played.

[Doggy 130]

They wouldn't be travelling; all the games would be in Detroit (defending champs this year) so the only players travelling would be the All-Stars, and only to the host city where all the games are played.

Players are reluctant to play the one game. You think they'll make this pointless spectacle into a 3 or 4 game tourney? And the other conference champ would travel.

[hokike 1]

howimportant is ASG from player's perspective? Fan's, marketing perspective has discussed ad nauseaum...

In NBA has almost every year complaints "oh why I wasn't there" and has been situations where injured but voted in star refuses to give away his spot, at the same time knowing that he won't be playing anyway.

Obviously, in NBA is ASG for players important, but in NHL?

I've been under impression that players in NHL don't care, not much.

[drwscc 212]

They usually say it's an honor, and most first timers will always go, barring injury. But judging by the players themselves there, they don't really seem to care much, which is why not alot of effort is actually put into the ASG. That, and they really don't want to get hurt in a meaningless game.