I know for some this isn't their cup of tea but I do enjoy the skills competition that comes along with the event. Stall with assistant captains Mike Green and Ryan Kesler will pick one team while Lidstrom with Patrick Kane and Martin St Louis will pick another. Here is the pool of players for them to pick from. I believe the players are picked on Friday, skills competition Saturday and the all-star game Sunday. * voted in + Briere replaced Iginla
My default saying about All-Star games is that I prefer the format they use during Olympic years... That said if you're going to have a giant corporate shinny game you might as well let the captains pick the teams.
Definitely, I'd rather watch the skills competition than the All-star game. The problem with the all-star game is that it lacks three of the biggest draws for hockey fans: intensity, hitting and fights. Sure there's lots of goals and pretty passing plays, but most of us know it's a lot harder to do those things when the game is intense and the opposition has put together a game plan to stop you. Edit: might as well add that Crosby is out, Malkin unlikely
Yeah certainly reminds me of my own games where guys who were mediocre at real hockey suddenly shine because there is no contact. ( not that the all stars are bad!). It's just a totally different sport although I'd never want to play full contact. The classic all star moment for me though is Rick Dipetro's I ****Ed hip moment on live tv.
I love All-Star Games in all sports. I wish that that the MLS All-Star Game would return to the Western Conference All-Stars vs. Eastern Conference All-Stars format, though. -G
Keith Yandle and Martin Havlet have been picked to replace Tobias Enstrom and Ales Hemsky in the competition. Still no word on who will be replacing Crosby and Malkin as they won't be playing in the game. Some replacements that could be considered are Zetterberg, Backstrom, Selanne, Ryan, Carter, or Stastny.
The talking heads had a discussion about this last night on TSN, apparently most NHLers that don't get chosen usually make plans to go away for the weekend. They speculated that there was a shortlist of players who'd been tapped by the NHL as fill-ins but that none of them had been selected as of yet. I think Selanne should get the nod as it's quite possible this is his last season in the league, after that any of those you mentioned have been good enough for inclusion. And for the life of me I can't figure out why, if they're going to take a Leaf, was Kessel taken over Grabovski?
A likely solution for late game dropouts is additions from the rookie teams. Personally, I love the MLS all star format and would love to see a similar KHL vs NHL game, but I know that is never happening.
I thought it was pretty funny though watching TSN coverage (Vrs for Americans) was way over the top but that is TSN (Just look at draft and trade deadline coverage). James Duthie trying to chase around players when they were picked and when interviewing the players seem painfully awkward. Kessel getting picked last wasn't much of a surprise as statically one of the worst out of the group of forwards there. Car for his trouble so it isn't all so bad I guess. Best part is tonight with the skills competition. Team Staal Team Lidstrom