Time to End the All-Star Game

[Kin]

I don't get the impression that there's a heck of a lot of guys (big minute players, anyway) that would prefer to be there instead of taking the weekend off.

I think you're absolutely right about that but, and while I know the thread title is somewhat meant to be facetious, that to me is the real argument for getting rid of it. Not John Scott getting voted in. If you can't figure out a way to make the players care, you might just need to pack it in.

I know a lot of people want to present this fan voting result as a bunch of internet jokers just being dopes but I think this comes from a sort of real place that some fans are where the thought process is "The All-Star game is a joke anyway, let's at least make it a funny one". 

 

[Frank E]

I don't get the impression that there's a heck of a lot of guys (big minute players, anyway) that would prefer to be there instead of taking the weekend off.

I think you're absolutely right about that but, and while I know the thread title is somewhat meant to be facetious, that to me is the real argument for getting rid of it. Not John Scott getting voted in. If you can't figure out a way to make the players care, you might just need to pack it in.

I know a lot of people want to present this fan voting result as a bunch of internet jokers just being dopes but I think this comes from a sort of real place that some fans are where the thought process is "The All-Star game is a joke anyway, let's at least make it a funny one".

Well, I guess from a business perspective (and has been mentioned here), this weekend is also about wining and dining big-wheels from sponsors and potential sponsors.  The players get revenue from this, and should want to contribute.  Let's be honest here, it's not a laborsome weekend, and they usually bring their families.

And really, aside from the business crap, there really is a whole bunch of hockey fans that actually enjoy and pay to see this whole thing, even if we don't.  Just act honoured, thank your customers, and pretend you're enjoying putting on a performance for them, even if you'd rather be at home.

From my years of watching the all-star stuff, I don't watch the game anymore, but I do tune in for the skills competition.  I actually enjoy that, and the players seem to genuinely enjoy it too...maybe they're just pretending to enjoy it, but it convinced me.   

 

[Kin]

Well, I guess from a business perspective (and has been mentioned here), this weekend is also about wining and dining big-wheels from sponsors and potential sponsors.  The players get revenue from this, and should want to contribute.  Let's be honest here, it's not a laborsome weekend, and they usually bring their families.

And really, aside from the business crap, there really is a whole bunch of hockey fans that actually enjoy and pay to see this whole thing, even if we don't.  Just act honoured, thank your customers, and pretend you're enjoying putting on a performance for them, even if you'd rather be at home.

From my years of watching the all-star stuff, I don't watch the game anymore, but I do tune in for the skills competition.  I actually enjoy that, and the players seem to genuinely enjoy it too...maybe they're just pretending to enjoy it, but it convinced me. 

I can't get into a back and forth with you about how the players "should" behave because it's not something I have a strong opinion on. I'm just saying that regardless of whether or not you think the Players should give a damn about the all-star game, they pretty clearly don't. As a result, while there are some fans who like it, there are a lot who don't and refuse to take it seriously because the players don't. Hence, John Scott, All-Star captain.

It's not just a hockey problem. It's something that exists across sports. All-Star games may just be something of an anachronism. It used to be that they were exciting because you got to see players you didn't usually get to see. I remember growing up I wouldn't get to see west coast teams too often on TV. But now leagues have balanced schedules and I can PVR late games and every single game is on TV. My nephew, who's 8 and hockey crazy, can watch youtube highlights whenever he wants of players who play in Sweden. All-Star games offer nothing except a collection of players we can watch whenever we want going at half-speed.

I agree with you re: the skills competition but that's because there's some novelty there. There is stuff there you never get to see elsewhere. The skills competition is better than the game and has been for some time. So you can say what you want about whether or not the players should be invested in the game all you want but you can't argue, really, that they are. The Scott vote, to me, just says that there are a lot of fans who have no interest in pretending they are either.

 

[Puerto Rico Suave]

I would like to get a child's opinion on the all star game.  When I was a kid growing up in the early 90's, I LOVED the all star game and skills competition (and the baseball all-star game and home-run derby too).  Now I may stumble upon the events if I'm flipping through channels, but I'll only stay if there isn't already good It's Always Sunny or The League rerun on FXX. 

Is the game fundamentally different now or do we just perceive it to be different because we outgrew it?

 

[Crucialness Key]

All-Star games may just be something of an anachronism. It used to be that they were exciting because you got to see players you didn't usually get to see.

Or just as importantly, you get to see great players play TOGETHER, on insanely stacked teams that could never otherwise happen.

That's also what bugs me about the 3-on-3 format. I want my All-Star Team to have four complete forward lines full of superstars, dammit!  At least there's still the Olympics, even though then you have to spread everyone out amongst a bunch of teams, instead of two.

 

[Kin]

Or just as importantly, you get to see great players play TOGETHER, on insanely stacked teams that could never otherwise happen.

I guess but the way I remember things from back in the day is that, you know, in the All-Star game they would tend to keep players together so that, you know, one line would have Gretzky and Kurri and the next would have Hull and Oates and Lemieux-Jagr and so on. So you didn't really see too much of guys playing with guys they didn't normally and, if you did, it was the fourth line Ciccarelli-Bellows-Leeman end of things.

Which I think is how it tends to be these days. Because of the every team gets an all-star rule there's a lot of guys who can't be charitably called great players. So you'll get a Perry-Getzlaf-Doan line or something which isn't that much more exciting than just seeing Anaheim's top line.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Do some players get bonuses for being named an All-Star?  Was that ever a thing or did I imagine that?

 

[Kin]

Do some players get bonuses for being named an All-Star?  Was that ever a thing or did I imagine that?

I know it used to be a thing. I was pretty sure performance bonuses are a thing of the past though.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Do some players get bonuses for being named an All-Star?  Was that ever a thing or did I imagine that?

I know it used to be a thing. I was pretty sure performance bonuses are a thing of the past though.

Sure you're not thinking about the year-end All-Star teams that the NHL announces? Those players get bonuses for. I can't imagine them ever getting bonuses for getting invited to the game, especially since the league's never exactly shied away from how political the choices can be.

 

[Kin]

Sure you're not thinking about the year-end All-Star teams that the NHL announces? Those players get bonuses for. I can't imagine them ever getting bonuses for getting invited to the game, especially since the league's never exactly shied away from how political the choices can be.

Back when contracts could be whatever a team/player wanted? I'm pretty sure all-star bonuses were fairly common. I'm almost certain Cherry wrote about something like that in one of his books(I want to say Grapes).

 

[Tigger]

Do some players get bonuses for being named an All-Star?  Was that ever a thing or did I imagine that?

I'm pretty sure it's still a schedule 'a' bonus for entry level contracts.

 

[L K]

The AHL has somewhat of an interesting setup.  The League President picks two captains for each team that are based of guys who have put in time in the league.  This year the two picks are Mike Angelidis, a 10-year veteran with 253 points in 605 games and Jeff Hoggan with 323 points in 653 games.

I do think there is a problem with players not wanting to be there.  The issue I continue to have is that rather than picking a worthy participant morons on the internet think they are funny picking a buffoon as a pick to ruin the concept of fan voting.  I wouldn't mind if the NHL found a way to reward a handful of the guys who stick around the league for a long time but never really hit that all-star/hall of fame level.

 

[Bullfrog]

I want to see the skills competition include the top guys at each skill, regardless of whether they're all-star players. There's some guys only hitting 92 km/h in the hardest shop competition. I bet almost every team has a 100 km/h guy and a 14 second lap guy.

And on a related note, why the heck isn't Kessel in the hardest shot competition? Ever see him and Stamkos in the Bauer shot competition?

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

I want to see the skills competition include the top guys at each skill, regardless of whether they're all-star players. There's some guys only hitting 92 km/h in the hardest shop competition. I bet almost every team has a 100 km/h guy and a 14 second lap guy.

And on a related note, why the heck isn't Kessel in the hardest shot competition? Ever see him and Stamkos in the Bauer shot competition?

Those velocities are in mph, not km/hr.

 

[hockeyfan1]

I don't care about it much either way and I'm unlikely to watch the game.  However, I think it would be kind of an "embarrassing honour" for Scott that whole weekend, and it will deprive a talented player who might actually like to go to the game the chance to do so.

Good point.  And maybe they should have voted for all the enforcers & 'no namers' .  That, would certainly sound exciting.  Brawling and all!

 

[Bullfrog]

I want to see the skills competition include the top guys at each skill, regardless of whether they're all-star players. There's some guys only hitting 92 km/h in the hardest shop competition. I bet almost every team has a 100 km/h guy and a 14 second lap guy.

And on a related note, why the heck isn't Kessel in the hardest shot competition? Ever see him and Stamkos in the Bauer shot competition?

Those velocities are in mph, not km/hr.

You haven't seen my slapshot before, have you?

 

[bustaheims]

I want to see the skills competition include the top guys at each skill, regardless of whether they're all-star players. There's some guys only hitting 92 km/h in the hardest shop competition. I bet almost every team has a 100 km/h guy and a 14 second lap guy.

And on a related note, why the heck isn't Kessel in the hardest shot competition? Ever see him and Stamkos in the Bauer shot competition?

Those velocities are in mph, not km/hr.

You haven't seen my slapshot before, have you?

In this case, I believe the "m" stands for metres.

 

[Kin]

The issue I continue to have is that rather than picking a worthy participant morons on the internet think they are funny picking a buffoon as a pick to ruin the concept of fan voting.  I wouldn't mind if the NHL found a way to reward a handful of the guys who stick around the league for a long time but never really hit that all-star/hall of fame level.

See, I just disagree with that representation both of who voted here and why. The John Scott thing was started, in large, part on the podcasts of pretty respected media members and it wasn't based on simply screwing things up it was "based on the realities of what the All-Star game is, who would you actually be interested to see play in one". The fact that it took hold with fans is a reflection of the reality of what a lot of fans think about the All-Star game.

The All-Star game doesn't exist to fawn over someone like Matt Cullen whose only reward for 20 years in the league has been millions of dollars, it's supposed to be for fans. I have absolutely zero interest in watching a third line grinder in the All-Star game. John Scott? I'll see what's up.

 

[bustaheims]

John Scott? I'll see what's up.

Actually, you know, a 3-on-3 tournament featuring entirely goons coudl be the most entertaining All Star Game the league has put on in decades.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Since when is John Scott some sort of fan favourite?