NHL Off-Topic thread

[DrJones]

Quote: Originally Posted by redsox4evur

John Scott is 28th in ASG voting. I am losing faith in society everyday. Ahead of guys like Datsyuk, Kopitar, Bergeron, Getzlaf, OEL, McKinnon, Quick, Perry, and others. Look here: https://allstarvote.nhl.com/en-us/LeaderBoard

The NHL All-Star Game is the rare event that unites the league, players, and fans: none of them care.

http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/ze...all-star-game/

[Majingir]

Don't know what change could be done to ASG to make it more interesting,but 3 on 3 is a start. Maybe they could do 1 on 1 games instead lol. Imagine seeing Crosby vs Ovechkin, Stamkos vs Tavares, Kane vs Toews, 1 on 1 exhibition games. Advertising that on TV could stir up some interest. They need to make the Saturday night stuff bigger. That's the one part of all star weekend I look forward to the most. Hardest shot, fastest skater,accurate shot,relay, things like that, where guys do give it their all trying to win. Why not just have abunch of those skills competitions instead. At least you know guys will be giving it 100% for those events,instead of 25% for a breakaway shootout or all star game.

20 years ago today:

[redsox4evur]

Quote: Originally Posted by DrJones

The NHL All-Star Game is the rare event that unites the league, players, and fans: none of them care. http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/ze...all-star-game/

That's different because of the Olympics last year. And all 10s of Latvian fans, pulling a Royals move and voting for him over and over.

[Money99]

Quote: Originally Posted by Majingir

Don't know what change could be done to ASG to make it more interesting,but 3 on 3 is a start. Maybe they could do 1 on 1 games instead lol. Imagine seeing Crosby vs Ovechkin, Stamkos vs Tavares, Kane vs Toews, 1 on 1 exhibition games. Advertising that on TV could stir up some interest. They need to make the Saturday night stuff bigger. That's the one part of all star weekend I look forward to the most. Hardest shot, fastest skater,accurate shot,relay, things like that, where guys do give it their all trying to win. Why not just have abunch of those skills competitions instead. At least you know guys will be giving it 100% for those events,instead of 25% for a breakaway shootout or all star game. 20 years ago today:

Agreed.
Maybe sub the ASG for the Winter Classic with the skills competition taking place the day before.

I know why they don't do it (extra advertising day), but at this point, the NHL needs to concede that the players will never give a crap about the ASG. So they either live with that, or they make major alterations each year - which only degrades the integrity of the ASG further.

P.S. That Detroit game was wild. Little did the Wings know that by lighting up Roy it eventually led to a great rivalry and potentially less Cups.

[dickey1331]

I don't know if you can do a lot to the ASG. Besides maybe baseball no one seems to care anymore about an ASG.

[slickdtc]

No one cares about any of the ASG's, even with baseball's phony home field advantage junk.

What we do care about is the HR Derby, 3 point/dunk contest, and skills competition. We see regular game action every single day. We only get to see these crazy events once a year. Why aren't they pushing that? Just to uphold the tradition of having a game played by the best players through half a season?

Scrap the game and highlight these things. Give the players a game off and just let them wind up for some 110 MPH missiles and goofy breakaway attempts.

What the NHL is doing is one step in that direction. For as archaic as some rules/traditions are in the NHL, they've been pretty progressive with their ASG. The fantasy draft, now 3v3 and breaking it in to 4 division teams, 20 minutes apiece, winner plays winner. It's at least going to fast paced fun. Checking is nonexistent in ASG's anyway, so open it up and let these guys show off their skills.

The NFL is actually the farthest behind in getting on board with a fun ASG. Have players take off the pads and go 1 on 1 WR/CB, LB's and DL hit the sleds and measure the force, etc. Have some fun, go nuts. Let's stop acting like the ASG is serious.

[Money99]

Quote: Originally Posted by slickdtc

No one cares about any of the ASG's, even with baseball's phony home field advantage junk. What we do care about is the HR Derby, 3 point/dunk contest, and skills competition. We see regular game action every single day. We only get to see these crazy events once a year. Why aren't they pushing that? Just to uphold the tradition of having a game played by the best players through half a season? Scrap the game and highlight these things. Give the players a game off and just let them wind up for some 110 MPH missiles and goofy breakaway attempts. What the NHL is doing is one step in that direction. For as archaic as some rules/traditions are in the NHL, they've been pretty progressive with their ASG. The fantasy draft, now 3v3 and breaking it in to 4 division teams, 20 minutes apiece, winner plays winner. It's at least going to fast paced fun. Checking is nonexistent in ASG's anyway, so open it up and let these guys show off their skills. The NFL is actually the farthest behind in getting on board with a fun ASG. Have players take off the pads and go 1 on 1 WR/CB, LB's and DL hit the sleds and measure the force, etc. Have some fun, go nuts. Let's stop acting like the ASG is serious.

I agree.
I'll actually watch the NHL ASG for the first time in years. Maybe decades.

But I have to disagree about MLB's game. I love it and it's because the players have no choice but to try their best.
Pitchers especially. They don't want to be embarrassed.

The rest of them, especially football, should be squashed - except for any skills competitions they can provide. Those are cool.
And I would definitely tune into a 1-on-1 or 2-on-2 basketball tournament. Imagine two games going on at once?
Sa-weet!

[DrJones]

There's one and only one way to make the All-Star Game competitive (assuming anyone actually wants this): money.

Winning team receives 11 million bucks.

- 500K per player (assuming 17 skaters and 3 goalies)
- only those who actually dress/play get paid; injured players and those who decline invites get nothing)
- 250K per coach (assuming 1 head coach and 2 assistants)
- 250K distributed to equipment managers, trainers, etc.

Losing team receives nothing.