2011 All Star events

[LadyStanley]

asktheduffer
Speculation is Crosby will miss #NHL All-Star Game with concussion.


Sounds that would definitely be a hit on the ratings. Guessing he won't be one of the captains.


(Original thread on fantasy draft aspect seems to have disappeared.)

Click to read more...

 

[LadyStanley]

FWIW, Crosby says he'll be at the event even if he's unable to play. (Similar to what happened a few years ago when he was out injured as well and went to Montreal.)


DarrenDreger
For family reasons, Iginla may not participate in All Star. Hemsky's concussion makes him longshot. Briere likely to get the call.

 

[LadyStanley]

kausatoday
Jarome Iginla has been excused from the All-Star Game because of his grandmother's health issues. He lost his grandfather last spring.


NHLFlyers: CONFIRMED: Danny Briere has been selected to participate in the NHL All-Star Game

 

[MAROONSRoad]

All-star game in Raleigh, NC

I'm curious as to the reception of this game in North Carolina. Is it generating a lot of buzz in the area? Will it have a lasting impact on the popularity of hockey and the NHL in the region? Are the locals familiar with NHL stars that will be attending? How will this year's event compare with past All-star events? Share your thoughts, info or media reports on this subject. I welcome the thoughts of any 'Canes fans or others.

GHOST

 

[tarheelhockey]

I'm curious as to the reception of this game in North Carolina. Is it generating a lot of buzz in the area?

The buzz has been up-and-down as announcements are made... there was a lot of hoopla when it was originally announced, then again when they started putting up ads, then again when the big festival was scheduled, and so forth. Not a lot to talk about in between. The past couple of weeks have been more interesting as street banners go up, volunteers are being assembled and the draft has made for some water cooler talk. Overall it's comparable to what I remember when Charlotte hosted the NBA ASG.

Will it have a lasting impact on the popularity of hockey and the NHL in the region?

Hard to say... I'd think probably not since it's a one-off event. There are a few long-lasting perks such as a new room at a local hospital, but it's more of a short-term visibility boost for the Hurricanes. But who knows, really?

Are the locals familiar with NHL stars that will be attending?

The hockey fans certainly are... we see them 41 times a year

How will this year's event compare with past All-star events?

I can only compare it to Atlanta, where the arena and primary event spaces are all part of one downtown complex. They sort of had a big-tent atmosphere, whereas ours is going to be more spread out. The arena is in the suburbs, but the main festival event is downtown. They're combining the ASG celebration with Raleigh Wide Open, which is normally one of the bigger city-wide events on the calendar, so it should draw a good "casual" crowd. Can't really predict what effect it'll have on the experience, as I've got little context for it.

 

[tarheelhockey]

The fantasy draft was a huge hit. I'm sure the event would have gone off well without it, but there was an electricity inside the building similar to the first Winter Classic. Everyone was talking about draft strategies, people were trying like hell to get ahold of studio seats (they were distributed randomly), and the crowd really stuck around rather than circulating back out of the building to the outdoor festival.

They should absolutely do it again in the future. Stroke of genius for re-energizing the event.