Fixing the All-Star Game: What Needs to Change?

Fixing the NHL All-Star Game

Every year the NHL decides to host a competition around the league called the ‘All-Star game’. The All-Star game is a way to give some players time to rest and enjoy themselves with fellow hockey players around the league.

When you’re constantly playing hockey against these players, and playing physical, you don’t get the chance to create relationships with many players. You’re just trying to get the win and play you’re best. So, there is some good that comes from this, however there are a lot of flaws in their system so here is what I’m proposing to the NHL.

First, There will be a game between the western and eastern conference. In this game it will be standard rules, but would give the players the chance to play with other competitors that you face frequently.

Second, They will keep the events as is. If you take a look at all-star breaks in any major sport, the sports that draw the most traction are basketball and football. Fans love to see them have fun challenges set to put players skills to the test. For example, 3-points shooting contest, or accuracy contest in football. Those are the events that are fun for most fans. Taking those out would be a big mistake.

Third, change the way you organize teams. Creating a tournament bracket would be fun for the fans and players I would assume. Being able to play with the guys your constantly competing against would help bring some fun to the game. So in doing so, you’re going to have to change the way the rosters are organized so this is what I’m thinking.

All-Star Game Changes

• Each roster will be granted 15 forwards, eight defenseman, three goalies.
  • How they are organized or who plays will be based upon the coaches.
• You are able to dress all 23 skaters and three goalies.
  • You are in fact able to dress all three goalies, but you have to play a different goalie every period. If it does go into overtime or the shootout, it becomes the coaches call who takes on those remaining minutes.
  • As for the lines. You are to have five forward lines of three players. You are to have four defensive lines.

Everything will stay pretty standard to a regular game. Penalties will be the same, minutes will be the same, special teams will be the same. So before we take a look at the lineups I assembled down below, I would like to point out that this is excluding currently hurt players. I know that this isn’t accurate if you discount the current players who are hurt, so that is something I wanted to stress.

Anyways, now that I got that out of the way, let’s take a look at the lineups.

Forwards

Johnny Gaudreau-Connor McDavid-Nathan MacKinnon

Kirill Kaprizov-Leon Drasaitl-Mikko Rantanen

Kyle Conner-Nazem Kadri-Gabriel Landeskog

Jordan Kyrou-Troy Terry-Timo Meier

Mark Stone-Anze Kopitar-Vladimir Tarasenko

Defenseman

Roman Josi-Cale Makar

Quinn Hughes-Alex Pietrangelo

Shea Theodore-Devon Toews

Seth Jones-Brent Burns

Goalies

Juuse Saros

Jacob Markstrom

Connor Hellebuyck

So, obviously this is my take on who I think this should apply too. However, I’d love to get to know you’re thoughts on everything I said and my lineups. So feel free to comment down below and let me know what you think and/or what you’d change.