Like all major sporting events, they have evolved from humble beginnings, guided along the way by stewards charged with doing what is best for the game and the fans. It is difficult to imagine just thirty years ago, the All-Star Game was nothing more than a single date on the NHL calendar.
The League’s mid-season gathering is not on the grand scale of a Super Bowl or National Championship game, but it is a pretty big deal. As for the excitement the All Star Game represents today, thank an improved NHL leadership team since the 1990s. Say what you want about Gary Bettman, but under his guidance, he has applied a great deal of vision, creativity and forethought, all of which brings fans the ability to enjoy this game even more.
Long before the current Commissioner was in place, corporate sponsors were not nearly as plentiful as they are today. In Columbus this coming weekend, there is a sponsor at every event, every booth at Fan Fair and every break in the action. There are plenty of opportunities for more sponsors to come aboard, too, and align themselves with the NHL’s burgeoning marketing machine.
But it wasn’t too long ago that the All-Star Game was just another blip on pro hockey’s winter schedule, something done every year. The common annual traits involved just a game, no lead-up events, held on a weekday evening with no fan participation in the process. But it was hockey with the game’s biggest stars all on one sheet of ice for one night, so we came.
I attended my first NHL All-Star Game in St. Louis at The Arena. The 1988 event was held on a Tuesday evening in February with no events or activities preceding the contest. The only noticeable change to the arena just days before the game was the additional banks of lights added above the ice so additional photographers covering the game would have good lighting conditions. The game itself was quite a gem. The contest was decided in overtime as Mario Lemieux capped off a Wales Conference’s 6-5 win with a hat trick and six points.
A few years later in January, I attended and served as a volunteer for the league at the 1991 All-Star Game at Chicago Stadium. That game was impacted by the Gulf War which had begun just two day prior. Under increased security, the game took on greater significance as a break from the tense circumstances of the United States military leading the liberation of Kuwait against Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi military.
The game was held on a Saturday late afternoon with a skills competition, the second ever such event which preceded the Game the night before. Who could forget the stirring national anthem sung by noted vocalist Wayne Mesmer? It is possible an NHL building has never been so loud with the old pump organ and fans signing with Messmer. The Campbell Conference won 11-5, powered by four goals from Vincent Damphousse.
How things have grown with the NHL in the All-Star landscape. There was a time when the League struggled to make this game significant, which likely led to changes such as fans voting in the starting line-up. The game has rarely been skipped. Since 1966, when the game was moved from the beginning of the season to the middle, there have been just eight years when the All-Star Game has not taken place.
Alternative competitions led the traditional All-Star Game to be skipped in 1979 (a three-game, Challenge Cup between NHL All-Stars and the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union won 2 games to 1). Another alternative international competition was held eight years later in Quebec City. There, a group of NHL All-Stars battled the Soviet Union in a two-game series in what was called Rendez-vous ’87. The teams split the series.
Three labor battles caused the cancellation of games in San Jose (1995), Atlanta (2005) and Columbus (2013). Olympic competition was the substitute in 2006 (Turin, Italy), 2010 (Vancouver, British Columbia) and 2014 (Sochi, Russia).
As interest waned, new elements were introduced to generate appeal, fan interaction and a wave of fresh ideas.
In 1985, honorary captains were selected for each team. The following year, fans were able to vote for the players they wanted to see in the game. In 1990, a Heroes of Hockey game, featuring alumni from the host team facing an array of retired stars, was introduced.
In the mid 90s, a change was made to who would coach the All Stars. It used to be that the coaches of the previous season’s Stanley Cup Finalists would lead their respective conferences in the All-Star Game. In 1996, that changed to where the coaches leading their respective conference at the break based on point percentages would All Star coaches.
This year, the coach of the previous season’s Stanley Cup Champions (Daryl Sutter of the Los Angeles Kings) and the coach of the League’s best team by winning percentage (Peter Laviolette of the Nashville Predators) coach the two teams.
In 1998, when the All Star Game and the Olympics took place in the same season, the format changed to involve North American players facing off against World All-Stars. This lasted through 2002.
In 2007, a YoungStars game was held featuring exclusively rookies. In 2001, this game was scrapped, but rookies were invited to participate in the skills competition (instead of the actual All-Star Game), just as they are today.
The most recent twist has been the popular Player Draft, first held in 2010 when the Carolina Hurricanes hosted in Raleigh, North Carolina. Appointed captains, including one from the host team, take turns selecting players from the pool until full teams are completed. Fans still vote a goalie, two defenseman and three forwards to the pool of players selected by the captains.
As for the game itself, in recent years, the game has involved far more scoring than defense. Goaltenders would do well in protecting themselves with sunscreen on the back of their necks. This is because the frequency of an intense red light burning behind them after each goal could prove harmful.
Four of the last five NHL All-Star Games have generated more than a combined 20 goals, unheard of during a regular season match. The speed and skill of the NHL’s best players are center stage at the All-Star Game, more so than at any other time of year. Penalties are rarely called and when they are, result in a penalty shot (not a timed penalty as has been the case in previous years).
The All-Star Game is a special affair, one clubs now clamor for in the right to host. There are nearly two weeks of events which serve as build to the big game in the host city. Nashville will host the 2016 game and at least eight teams are hopeful of securing the 2017 event.
I will be detailing the events leading up to this year’s All Star Game over the next few days. Details on the three televised events during All-Star Weekend are listed below.
The NHL Fantasy Draft to determine which All-Stars will battle on either Team Foligno or Team Toews, will be held on Friday, January 23rd at 8:00 PM Eastern time and televised on the NBC Sports Network.
On Saturday, January 24th at 7:00 PM Eastern time, the 2015 NHL All-Star Skills Competition takes place. The event will be televised on the NBC Sports Network
On Sunday, January 25th at 5:00 PM Eastern time, the 2015 NHL All-Star Game will be held. The game will be televised on the NBC Sports Network.
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