GDT: All Star Weekend - Leafs edition

[ACC1224]

Things kick off tonight with the Draft, tomorrow is the skills competition, Saturday afternoon the game.

2024 NHL All-Star Weekend | NHL.com

The league's biggest names and brightest stars are headed to the 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend in Toronto. Join the action at Scotiabank Arena with an Official Ticket Package from NHL Experiences, a ticket to the 2024 NHL All-Star Skills presented by DraftKings Sportsbook & 2024 NHL All-Star Game...

www.nhl.com

** not sure why you can't see who votes for what.....perhaps a mod can fix?

Click to read more...

 

[93LEAFS]

Hitting the fan fest mid-day tomorrow. Hoping to avoid the craziness of later in the day where it's packed with families. Figured mid-day today or tomorrow is probably the least busy time.

 

[Jojalu]

I usually don't care for any All-Star event outside of baseball's, but I do think I will tune in this year.

No football helps. The Pro-Bowl is terrible

 

[Sypher04]

Honestly I’m still undecided.
But that’s not even entirely about the expectations I have of the product we get, which I think could actually be worth watching this year (especially being in Toronto), but moreso because I’m getting crushed by work lately lol

 

[ACC1224]

Does Matthews pick,
Marner?
Nylander?
Neither?
Both(if available)?

 

[Cams]

Not a fan of All Star games in whatever sport. I used to watch the skills, but then it got too gimicky for me.

I like the old school hardest shot, shooting accuracy, fastest skater type events...not guys wearing sunglasses, or whatever goofy "skills" they tried recently.

 

[Sypher04]

Does Matthews pick,
Marner?
Nylander?
Neither?
Both(if available)?

I feel like this is no win for Matthews and people are going to read into it when they shouldn’t. If he selects neither, he’ll be called a bad teammate. If he selects one over the other, they’ll say he doesn’t like the other guy.

This all said I expect he’ll try to pick any Leafs who are on the board, starting likely with Marner who I think has a greater reputation league wide and thus will likely go earlier.

Though I personally think the magic of allstar game (if that’s a thing) is seeing players with guys they never play beside, so I actually think it’d be better if players couldn’t pick teammates and just side step all of this.

 

[TheTotalPackage]

Not a fan of All Star games in whatever sport. I used to watch the skills, but then it got too gimicky for me.

I like the old school hardest shot, shooting accuracy, fastest skater type events...not guys wearing sunglasses, or whatever goofy "skills" they tried recently.

Precisely. The All Star Game has lost its way, and its nothing more than an unnecessary hiccup in the schedule.

 

[ACC1224]

I feel like this is no win for Matthews and people are going to read into it when they shouldn’t. If he selects neither, he’ll be called a bad teammate. If he selects one over the other, they’ll say he doesn’t like the other guy.

This all said I expect he’ll try to pick any Leafs who are on the board, starting likely with Marner who I think has a greater reputation league wide and thus will likely go earlier.

Though I personally think the magic of allstar game (if that’s a thing) is seeing players with guys they never play beside, so I actually think it’d be better if players couldn’t pick teammates and just side step all of this.

I wouldn't expect him to pick any either of them and he'll just say he couldn't choose one over the over.

 

[Sypher04]

I wouldn't expect him to pick any either of them and he'll just say he couldn't choose one over the over.

That’s an option. Seems like a good way around it.

 

[93LEAFS]

While I'm sure tons of kids will be excited and this will be a memorable experience for them. The actual game, draft and skills I probably wouldn't care about if it wasn't in Toronto. I said by far the part I'm most excited about is the fan event. I remember going to that as a kid and getting to meet Terrible Ted Lindsay (there is still a signed program from the fan fest of that by him somewhere at my parents house), seeing rare unique memorabilia for sale (we found the birthday gift for my dad that year, a rare Gretzky jersey where it had the starter logo on both sides of the jersey), seeing crazy card collections and autographs, and some cool carnival style hockey games. I'm going to the fan fest mostly because of nostalgia, and I will say, being in Toronto we are spoiled a bit in that we have the HHOF so some of the things that come with the fan fest aren't as unique or meaningful (seeing the trophies etc.). I'm sort of curious to see what the Fan Fest is like now, mostly going to see the memorabilia and such, not really interested in chasing autographs unless it's a really short line or stargazing.

Really just hoping this event creates a ton of great memories for kids like the 2000 All-Star game fan fest did for an 11 year old me, and hope people with kids who are passionate fans of the game take their kids down to it since it's relatively affordable (especially when compared to everything else related to the actual game).

 

[andora]

Things kick off tonight with the Draft, tomorrow is the skills competition, Saturday afternoon the game.

2024 NHL All-Star Weekend | NHL.com

The league's biggest names and brightest stars are headed to the 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend in Toronto. Join the action at Scotiabank Arena with an Official Ticket Package from NHL Experiences, a ticket to the 2024 NHL All-Star Skills presented by DraftKings Sportsbook & 2024 NHL All-Star Game...

www.nhl.com

** not sure why you can't see who votes for what.....perhaps a mod can fix?

Can you add an option to the poll that yes I will because my wife likes it

I wouldn't expect him to pick any either of them and he'll just say he couldn't choose one over the over.

Just have a coin with you and show the world that you leave it up to chance

 

[wingman75]

If there is nothing else on, I will watch more than likely. Actually interested in watching the draft tonight, just to see how it plays out and how the players interact while off the ice. Will more than likely watch the skills comp and game as well unless something important comes up.

Does Matthews pick,
Marner?
Nylander?
Neither?
Both(if available)?

If I was Matthews, and since he already has Mo on this team, I would not pick either to as to create some friendly competition on the ice. Also, I'd rather not have to choose between two friends.

 

[kevsh]

Not a goalie, never been a goalie but I can't watch the game and not feel bad for these guys getting lit up while the skaters on their team don't even pretend to backcheck or break up odd-man rushes. As has been mentioned many times over the years, it's a great weekend for everyone but the goalies.

I would think the NHL, in the interest of propping up all their players, would want to do something to prevent goalies looking so bad in the league's showcase weekend.

Other than that gripe, it's really for the kids. So I'll likely end up catching the skills competition for about 5 minutes channel surfing as well as the game then move on.

 

[Mr_Fun]

I'm actually flying to Toronto this weekend, but not for the all-star game (although we are going to be at the Dallas game, mid-week). I personally have little to no interest in the event, but, I think it's great for the younger fans to see all of the stars together ( even though I didn't have any real interest in this as a kid, either).

 

[ACC1224]

I'm actually flying to Toronto this weekend, but not for the all-star game (although we are going to be at the Dallas game, mid-week). I personally have little to no interest in the event, but, I think it's great for the younger fans to see all of the stars together ( even though I didn't have any real interest in this as a kid, either).

Needs tickets to the Dallas game??

 

[Suntouchable13]

Not a goalie, never been a goalie but I can't watch the game and not feel bad for these guys getting lit up while the skaters on their team don't even pretend to backcheck or break up odd-man rushes. As has been mentioned many times over the years, it's a great weekend for everyone but the goalies.

I would think the NHL, in the interest of propping up all their players, would want to do something to prevent goalies looking so bad in the league's showcase weekend.

Other than that gripe, it's really for the kids. So I'll likely end up catching the skills competition for about 5 minutes channel surfing as well as the game then move on.

I don’t think the NHL is smart enough to intentionally gear this for the kids. They actually think adults enjoy this shit. Just like when Gary said that fans love the new digital ads. The NHL is gearing this for adults

 

[93LEAFS]

I don’t think the NHL is smart enough to intentionally gear this for the kids. They actually think adults enjoy this shit. Just like when Gary said that fans love the new digital ads. The NHL is gearing this for adults

It's big for corporate sponsorships and that type of networking on the financial side of the league. Although, it's possible the NHL moved a lot of those types of meeting and schmoozing over to the big winter classic game over the years. NBA and MLB use their all star games for that type of stuff, and the NFL obviously uses the Super Bowl for it.

 

[nsleaf]

Some good ideas, IMO.

The Smokehouse: It's time to change All-Star weekend in the NHL

TSN Hockey analyst Martin Biron puts the NHL's All-Star weekend in 'The Smokehouse', where he roasts how the league schedules the All-Star festivities during a time where there is less competition from the NFL. Biron believes the bye week is a great idea, but it needs to be spread out across the...

www.tsn.ca

 

[BertCorbeau]

Bold prediction: Marner gets picked last

(Only because Matthews’ quietly sets it up like that with the other captains)

 

[Dayjobdave]

going to a post-draft party tonight and going to the skills tomorrow

 

[ACC1224]

Bold prediction: Marner gets picked last

(Only because Matthews’ quietly sets it up like that with the other captains)

Was thinking the same. It'll be like Christmas, possibly the greatest day of their lives, for some around here.

 

[Darcy Tucker]

Matthews probably picks Marner first.

Nope he picked Nylander.

 

[leafan11]

Matthews probably picks Marner first.

Nope he picked Nylander.

Marner is gonna demand more on his extension for Nylander being picked over him now

 

[Darcy Tucker]

The 4 Leafs are joined by Jake Oettinger and Clayton Keller so far.