Ideas for making the ASG a bit more interesting?

[Dynamite Time]

Ovechkin, Andre-Fleury and Rask have all opted out to play this ASG; at 34, 35 and 32 yrs. old I have no problem with that. They’ve played a decade or more in the league and could easily be playing until May or June before training camp begins in September. The NHL suspending them for 1 game is pretty shitty considering dirty players easily get away with cheap shots and maybe get a 2 game suspension if anything at all.

Veterans who may opt out (and not all do) shouldn’t be penalized as there’s plenty of talent to fill rosters. Rantanen, Laine, Boeser, Horvat, Heiskanen, Makar, Dahlin etc. are all under 25, talented and not playing in the ASG.

One full game at 4 on 4 (more players) and McDavid WC and Pastrnak EC get to select their team. McDavid can choose a guy like Dahlin who he probably won’t play much against much less with as well as Pastrnak doing the same and picking Laine, Heiskanen etc. for a teammate. Something in that realm of things or so, something different.

Your thought and ideas?

Click to read more...

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Nothing, stop trying to fix everything that isn't broken. If you like it watch it, if not, go do something else with your time.

 

[Dynamite Time]

Nothing, stop trying to fix everything that isn't broken. If you like it watch it, if not, go do something else with your time.

It is broken though, has been for a while.

 

[tony d]

Return it to East vs. West. These divisional games are silly.

 

[Frank Drebin]

The more and more the game grows, the further it gets from being a game and the more it resembles a business. Players become less like hockey players and more like employees wanting their weekends off.

It is what it is. I don't think the ASG will ever be enjoyable again for the players outside of the social/party aspect.

 

[TanguaySauce]

Take the worst NHL team and play them against the best AHL team. If the big boys lose, they get relegated.

Y'all can laugh, but I'd watch that.

 

[Mr Tadakichi]

Like I said, make goals and assists count to their season total.

 

[Fastfrde]

Not so much the game, but on the skills competition, what if each team could add one player to participate in the one of the skills competitions or some variation. Could raise some interest in the event from teams with lower participation and make the events a little more compelling.

 

[kgboomer]

The more and more the game grows, the further it gets from being a game and the more it resembles a business. Players become less like hockey players and more like employees wanting their weekends off.

It is what it is. I don't think the ASG will ever be enjoyable again for the players outside of the social/party aspect.

Well it is, you would think most would know that after 1 strike and 3 lockouts. And the latest platers union brain child was teams bye week.

 

[Off Sides]

Head shot competition, set up a couple dummies/manikins, the realistic type like they use on forged in fire, with force sensors and see who can land the most devastating head shots. Let the refs stand there and look while they call no penalties. It will kill.

 

[Absurdity]

5 on 5, West vs. East

 

[Red Stanley]

Compact this to a one-day event. Keep the skills competition and have the players who were voted in show up to do interviews and to interact with the fans. Get rid of the game itself or have it played by "the future stars of the NHL" aka peewees or young teens at the end of the event. If you want the event to promote the sport in general, rather than the league in specific, rename it to Hockey All-Stars and have any event you want without the controversy.

 

[Dynamite Time]

Nothing, stop trying to fix everything that isn't broken. If you like it watch it, if not, go do something else with your time.

It’s not that I don’t like it but many others don’t as well. I was just looking for other people’s opinions or ideas on how to help this situation out. What was yours?

 

[Hammettf2b]

I want the best in the league to play. I don't want to continue to see a representative from every team when they don't deserve it. If a team has 4 players playing well enough to be an All Star, I want to see those players. $1 Mil to each player on the winning team.

 

[Semoner403]

Put tkachuk out with Draisaitl and McDavid

 

[Dynamite Time]

I want the best in the league to play. I don't want to continue to see a representative from every team when they don't deserve it. If a team has 4 players playing well enough to be an All Star, I want to see those players. $1 Mil to each player on the winning team.

I agree with that. MacKinnon for the Avs is in but others like Rantanen, Landeskog and Makar aren’t because of the way it’s setup.

 

[Matty Sundin]

The problem with the all star game is fans like on this forum want it to be serious but it's not meant to be taken serious so it hard for them to enjoy it.

 

[TanguaySauce]

I agree with that. MacKinnon for the Avs is in but others like Rantanen, Landeskog and Makar aren’t because of the way it’s setup.

Landeskog and Rantanen belong no where near the ASG this year but I agree with the overall point

 

[Dynamite Time]

As a Stars fan Tyler Seguin isn’t having an All-Star season and shouldn’t be in. I don’t think there should be a block on other players who are doing better.

 

[J T Money]

NHL could make the reward for winning something significant. Two random ideas that will certainly never happen:

1. The winning division get a draft pick (currently nonexistent) such as picks between 1st and 2nd round. Decide the order by how well the representing player plays.

2. Match a certain amount of each players salary (lets just say, a years) and have the NHL donate it to charities of that players choosing (the amount of their current salary).

I know these would never happen due to how crazy they are, but it would certainly put pressure on the players to take it seriously.

 

[Svechhammer]

East vs West, and the winning side gets home ice in the Stanley Cup Finals

Have the league pay out each player 2 game checks if they are elected to the ASG (one for the Skills Night, one for the game itself). If they elect not to play, they don't get paid. And give the winning team a healthy bonus check as well.

Make it worth their while to play, and make it worth their while to care. I personally don't like the MLB rule that gives home field advantage to the winning side, but it does create competition between the two leagues when something like that is up for grabs.

 

[DistantThunderRep]

It is broken though, has been for a while.

It's an exhibition not anything important. Who gives a shit? If they want to do something, change it to the off season.

 

[oldunclehue]

When Ovi scored in the breakaway comp with a cowboy hat and two sticks that was the point I stopped watching anything to do with the ASG.... replace it with a young guns game and see the future talent coming up. Use it to build the game with kids, make it fun for them and engage them in the events!

Also a "beer league" team would be fun to do the skill's comp. Let some average joe's try the event to show how amazing NHL players actually are.

 

[Hammettf2b]

East vs West, and the winning side gets home ice in the Stanley Cup Finals

Have the league pay out each player 2 game checks if they are elected to the ASG (one for the Skills Night, one for the game itself). If they elect not to play, they don't get paid. And give the winning team a healthy bonus check as well.

Make it worth their while to play, and make it worth their while to care. I personally don't like the MLB rule that gives home field advantage to the winning side, but it does create competition between the two leagues when something like that is up for grabs.

I always hated this in baseball and I'm sure I'd hate it just the same in hockey.

 

[Svechhammer]

I always hated this in baseball and I'm sure I'd hate it just the same in hockey.

Oh, I think I would absolutely hate it, too.

But... as long as this is an exhibition that doesn't matter one iota in the grand scheme, you're always going to have the problem of players just not caring about it. If the goal is to make it matter and make players care, you have to put something on the line, as awful as crappy as that might be.