Seeing Stars

The NHL released it's All Star presser for the 2017 All Star Game hosted this year by the LA Kings. The game promises the same exciting 3 on 3 tournament format as last year which, personally speaking, was a hell of a lot more entertaining than games past. The captains of the four teams, one from each division, will again be selected by fans, but the league added a slight wrinkle to who exactly can fill this role.


It's not the John Scott rule, but, well, it's the John Scott rule. As you'll recall last year career long enforcer John Scott was voted captain of the Pacific Division squad. He lead his team to victory, was named MVP and I'm sure somewhere Disney is working on the script (if not I'm available). It was a great story and I gained a ton of respect for John Scott, the way he handled himself and how the guys rallied around him. But lets be honest, it could have backfired in a big way. Truth be told it started as a joke, a fan movement to get the guy who was likely least deserving of such a nod into the game, and actually seemed sort of funny, in a frat bro sorta way. This idea gained momentum and low and behold Scott found himself voted into the game. And the league was pissed. Lets not kid ourselves, they wanted no part of this debacle and felt it was making a mockery of a game which had become in need of a boost anyway. The subsequent fall out form his trade to the Habs and demotion to the AHL seemed to seal his fate. Fans railed against this and eventually the right thing was done, he was given his shot and was a class act the whole time in the face of what could have been a PR nightmare. It was a no win situation really, until the puck was dropped and the league came up smelling like roses. The game was great and Scott asserted himself very well in leading his team to victory. This is all well and good but really, isn't what the game is all about.


Sure there's something to be said for letting a guy like Scott who would otherwise never have a chance play in this game. I was happy for him and his family, who will have this memory forever. It was touching and reminded us that sport can transcend everyday life and bring out the best in us. But the only reason it worked so well is because of the kind of guy John Scott is. An intelligent (he's an engineer) guy who understood what was going on and rolled with it. I'm not sure that would have been the case in most instances. And that's what worried the NHL. That some guy who had no business being there would look exactly like that and embarrass the league. Many argue that the game is a boring, pointless exercise anyway that many big name stars skip just to get the much needed rest, but for many it still matters.


The fact is the nature of the All Star game is being argued over by mostly, adults, when the reality of it is the people most interested in it are kids. Young fans who sit in novice or pewee dressing rooms arguing about who the best player in the league is or who'd make the strongest line combination in an All Star match up. Kids who idolize these guys, emulate their heroes and want to see top end skill face off against one another in a dynamic setting. The 3 on 3 format revitalized a game in desperate need of a boost and was as exciting as any I can remember. It showcased the skill and speed of the game and made it entertaining in ways it wasn't because the nature of it is inherently more competitive. Kids and for that matter the rest of us have no desire to see fourth line grinders out there when the true stars of the game are available. That's not to say these guys aren't an important, integral part of the league, and any championship team, but the All Star game is meant to exhibit the highest level of skill. A showcase for the elite who deserve to shine. That's the reality and while the NHL is filled with great stories and greater guys, the All Star game should be viewed as something special and an honour that you earn. There's enough participation ribbons being passed around these days, lets let the guys who deserve to have their greatness praised get the opportunity to show us why.

Seeing Stars...NHL All Star Injury Problem

The NHL All Star game is once again upon us. After missing the last few with the NHL lockout and the Olympics, the Columbus Blue Jackets are set to host the league's best players in a skill show case. Or what's left of them anyway...The latest news is that Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby will join teammate Evgeni Malkin on the sidelines with a lower body injury meaning they will both miss this game, and the next Penguins game as per league rule a la Nic Lidstom and Pavel Datsyuk a few years back. Another prominent injury was to Columbus's own goalie and Vezina trophy winner Sergi Bobrovsky who was injured in their final game before the break against Winnipeg. This leaves a lot of people asking who should fill the void.

The All Star Game itself is less intense than most games of pond hockey you'd find in any Canadian outdoor rink, but the idea is a lot of fun and lets face it it's a spectacle for the fans, particularly the young ones, to watch their favorite players show off their tremendous skill and have some fun. The idea of a Fantasy Draft has added an exciting and entertaining element to it, pitting friends, countrymen and teammates against one another. A lot of players enjoy this aspect as they get to commiserate with guys they rarely see and may not know so well. Perhaps that's the whole point. But the question is without many top names, who's left to fill the void?

Personalities like P.K. Subban are not on the list and when the league has an opportunity to market itself like this, that's a tough blow. The NHL has few universally recognizable faces in the US market and this is an opportunity to get people out there and show the fans what these guys can do and just how talented they are. Perhaps there ought to be more onus on the players themselves to get out of their comfort zone and market themselves and the game more but that's not the mentality most of us in Canada grew up with. Just look at the captain of one of the teams, Jonathan Toews. 'Captain Serious' is a team first guy who shuns personal bragging in any interview. The likes of John Tavares and Carey Price fall into this same category so, at least in my opinion, it'd be nice to see them mix it up a bit, sell the game or themselves a little, not to Richard Sherman lengths, but to try and call a little attention to the league while the spot light it on it.

These injuries also give a chance to some lesser know or younger players to step up and the inclusion of young stars like Ottawa's Mike Hoffman and Montreal's Jiri Sekac can intorduce some future stars of the league. Hopefully this can translate into a successful weekend that stands out, at least they jerseys will, or be successful in terms of ratings but I fear there is little to drag the casual or non fan in.