In case you have missed it, or been under a rock, the NHL announced a new All-Star Game format which may be the coolest thing they have ever announced. I mean ever. This is really a stroke of brilliance.
Now before I get into the details I know there are a ton of "NHL All-Star Game Haters" out there, and trust me I get it. It isn't real hockey, there is no intensity, players are picked just on their offense....etc.
I felt that way for years, until I was fortunate enough to cover a few All-Star Games live, and when you go to the city where the game is played, and witness all the hype and external stuff that goes on you quickly understand why this game deserves its own spot.
Let me just say this...The NHL All-Star game is not about the kind of person who goes to a hockey website or has been following the game in depth for years. The All-Star game is for the kids. The kids at these games LOVE them. Can't some of you remember back to how you viewed All-Star games as a kid? A chance to see all these players play together....you can't beat it for a an 8-13 year old. It rocks.
However, the game on TV and to the hardcore fan has really pretty much "jumped the shark" and serious props to the NHL for understanding this.
Here is the new format...(from the NHL press release)
*The 2016 Honda NHL® All-Star Game will be a three-game tournament played in a 3-on-3 format with a prize pool of $1 million to be paid in its entirety to the tournament’s winning team.
*The tournament will feature four teams, one team representing each NHL Division: the Pacific, Central, Metropolitan and Atlantic.
*Each team will be made up of 11 players from each Division: six forwards, three defensemen and two goaltenders.
·*The 2016 NHL All-Star Fan Vote will allow fans to vote for one All-Star player from each Division, without regard to position. The top vote-getter from each Division will be named NHL All-Stars, as well as Captain of his respective team.
*The remaining 40 NHL All-Stars will be named by the NHL Hockey Operations Department for a total of 44 All-Star players, with at least one player selected from each NHL team.
*The 2016 Honda All-Star Skills Competition™ returns to a matchup between the Eastern Conference and Western Conference All-Stars on Saturday evening, with the winning conference earning the right to select when their semi-final matchup will be played; first or second on Sunday.
*Each game in the three-game, 3-on-3 2016 Honda NHL All-Star Tournament will be 20 minutes in length.
*Teams will change ends at the 10-minute mark of each game. Games that are tied after 20 minutes will be decided by a shootout.
*The Central Division All-Stars will face the Pacific Division All-Stars and the Atlantic Division All-Stars will face the Metropolitan Division All-Stars in the two Semi-Final games.
*The winners of each Semi-Final game will play each other in the All-Star Tournament Final to determine the overall tournament champion.
*The four division-leading NHL coaches (best points percentage following the completion of games on Jan. 9, 2016) will be named coaches for each of the four All-Star teams.
.......
OK, so how cool is this?
There are a few suggestions that I have, but honestly, the concept is killer.
Ideas to make this even better...
* Get rid of coaches all together. I know coaches deserve to be noticed, but this would be so much cooler if the players themselves were running the show. The game already feels like the "best pickup hockey game ever," why not tease that out completely.
* The fact that the games are 20 minutes broken into ten minute halves is great...but why not alternate. The teams that play the second 20 minutes are going to be beat tired for the Championship game. I have interviewed these guys after only 5 minutes of 3 vs 3....they are spent. Why not have the Central play the Pacific for ten minutes, then a commercial, quick ice refresh...then the Atlantic play the Metro. Another commercial and ice scrape...then back for the Central and Pacific then the Metro and Atlantic? Think of the 15 minutes off between the halves and all the strategizing?
* Also...if the games are tied they are...ending in a shootout? Really feels like this is a wimpy way out. I say go to 2 vs 2. for 2minutes....then a shootout..
What say you?
We will discuss all this and more on the Buzzcast today at 1pm.
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