Misconduct | What can I do to restart the All-Star game?

The section where journalists from the Sports de The Press answer a question with pleasure.

If you were commissioner of the NHL, what would you do to revive the All-Star game?

Simon Olivier Lorange

The short answer: I would abolish the All-Star Game. The meeting itself – or the mini-tournament, depending on the formula chosen – does not present any kind of interest, because the game which one attends has nothing to do with the hockey which is practiced in the NHL. It’s a bit like, in athletics, sprinters jumping on motorcycles because it’s funny. However, I would enhance the skills competition, in particular with events that would allow the goalkeepers to show their know-how. These are unfortunately the sad victims of these celebrations, where all attention is focused on the attack. I don’t know the NHL’s plans for the contest over the next few days, but I would introduce a “Michigan” test, a complex technique that more and more players are mastering. It’s the big fashion of the moment and children love it. And they’re the only people interested in All-Star Weekend anyway.

Alexander Pratt

Let’s replace the traditional All-Star game with a single-elimination hockey tournament between all the NHL teams. 3 v 3 format. The first team to score three goals wins and advances to the next round. Friday: draw. All league players are present to sign autographs. Saturday: the first two rounds. Sunday: quarter-finals and semi-finals. Monday night, grand finale, prime time. And to encourage players to give their 110%, the winning team inherits a place in the playoffs. Go! Go! Go!

Guillaume Lefrancois

Basically, I don’t think the All-Star game needs a major reform, because it will always remain a marginal and light event. It will never be the eighth game of the Series of the Century, we hear. In this context, the 3 on 3 tournament remains the best option, and the skills competition always produces a good show. So what can be done to improve the event? Better use of celebrities might be a good first step. Rather than simply inviting them for a song, why not choose four and involve them thoroughly, by naming them DG, for example? Snoop Dogg, Eli Manning and Ryan Reynolds (if he doesn’t buy the Senators in the meantime), to name a few, each leading a team. They are reserved the right to nominate a player to the team, at their sole discretion. If Michael Bublé likes Michael Pezzetta because of his hair, let him invite him! This celebrity also acts as an assistant coach behind the bench. One of the goals of the All-Star game is to get lay people interested in hockey. A collaboration like this would definitely draw attention with the audience that said celebrities would entail.

Richard Labbe

Obviously, there’s no one who wants to get hurt in this game anymore, so there’s no checking, no intensity in the corners, nothing. It’s understandable: without a real stake, why risk an injury? So I would end this charade right now, and I would present two days of skills competitions, including off-ice events. Who can hit a home run? Who runs the fastest over 100 meters? Who can succeed dunk in a basketball hoop? It would be a lot more interesting than a 19-16 match, and I take this opportunity to remind you that these scores are only good for indoor soccer.

Nicholas Richard

The Star game. The game… of the Stars! To heighten the interest of fans and to ensure an exciting spectacle, this annual classic must bring together the best players in the league. Without exception. It is therefore imperative to put an end to the obligation that each team must be represented by at least one player. Without this rule, probably only Kevin Hayes (PHI), Brock Nelson (NYI), Nick Suzuki (MTL), Dylan Larkin (DET), Clayton Keller (ARI), Vladimir Tarasenko (STL), Troy Terry (ANA) and Nazem Kadri (CGY) would not be there this year. However, players like Kyle Connor (WIN), William Nylander (TOR) and Steven Stamkos (TB), 3 players among the top 20 scorers in the National Hockey League, will not be there. The League wants to sell its product and provide a quality show to highlight its best players, but many are ignored in the name of team fairness. Complete nonsense.

Jean-Francois Tremblay

Let’s make one thing clear right now: Skills contests are more interesting than the match, and the match is only interesting if there’s a twist. This “twist” can come in two ways: giving full and total access behind the scenes, including dialogues on the ice between players and referees, and surprises among the Stars. Basically, the last time I had any interest in the game was when braggart and Canadian legend John Scott was unexpectedly invited. He was even chosen player of the match, with the luxury car as a gift. Before that, there’s obscure defender Rory Fitzpatrick who almost managed to get himself invited by public vote. That’s what it takes. As long as you don’t have any real sporting stakes, you might as well make it as attractive as possible. But I concede it, we start from afar with the plethora of stars as drab as the drying wall.