1) WE at Faux rumors are already on record of the inanity of the concept of playing an All Star game. (In any sport) no-more-all-star-games-please The game itself is usually boring to the max and rarely resembles actual hockey. More like a game of shinny, or pond hockey with better ice. As we wrote 3 years ago on the topic of the fans picking the team: Our take on that is; Who cares! The All Star game has become increasingly irrelevant. With the success of the Winter Classic, the All Star game has become less and less of interest to fans. As for the picks; that's what you get when you combine allowing fans to vote as much/often as they want (Chicago politics) with the idiocy/incompetence that is the NHL. The "honor" of starting is not like it was years ago. The real honor of selection takes place at the end of the season when the true All Star selections are made. Sure its nice to be selected, but few players have (are allowed with the current CBA) to get contractual bonuses for selection, so many might prefer to have the 3 days off in the middle of a grueling season instead.
2) To illustrate the insanity of the "selection process" the host team Senators were able to select 4 of the 6 starters! The 6th seeded Senators somehow landed 67% of the Eastern Conference starters? Now, for sure Erik Karlsson deserves to be starting. As the leading scorer among defensemen the 21 year old Swede as well as Toronto's DION Phaneuf are fine to be heading to the festivities in Kanata. The other 3, less so much. We'd even be OK if Spezza was an add on (not a starter) If the prerequisite to being selected is who is having the best 1st half. Spezza is currently 11th in the league in scoring ; meaning the Top 10 NHL scorers were NOT among the starting All stars! Absurd. However, the next 2 Senators really illustrate the nonsense here. Daniel Alfredsson, as much of a future Hall of Famer he might be, is NOT having an All Star year. If the commish wanted to add him as a fan-favourite, that would be fine, but as a starter? No! An Milan Michalek? There are 73 forwards with MORE points than he!! He's an elite player???? His selection more than taints the process, its destroys it!
3) Geez, we read that Toronto Maple Leafs goalie James Reimer was second in goalie voting behind Tim Thomas. Thomas is a no brainer. As the reigning Vezina/ConSmyth winner, as well as having some of the best stats among goalies in the NHL he should be the starter no questions asked. However how could ANYONE vote for Reimer?? He's 37th in wins, 35th in save %,and 36th in GAA. In other words there are probably 35 better goalies to choose from, and he was within a whisker of starting???.
4) We maintain the ONLY possible way to make the game have any possible excitement was to have player stats count in the regular season AND to give a boat load of cash to the winners. Right now there is NO enticement for players to give anything near 100% Even the "skills competition" which initially was well received/got increased fan interest, has seen its shine dwindle in recent years. However that all said anyone who believes we will see the end of the game as we know it you can forget it! Like in the other team sports, both the league and Players' Association want the event to continue. Too much money is involved to change that fact (surprised that's all about cash?) In fact, we're told cities and teams are still lining up to host it. Despite the bore, it does generate revenue for the host team/city. So we can all save a trip to see our Dr. for an Ambien prescription because the NHL All Star game is here to stay.
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