Hoping to see some lacrosse goals & other creative stuff, I remember years ago people saw lacrosse goals as some novelty and never would've thought it would find its way into an NHL game. I always practice lacrosse moves, weird dekes & trick shots in warmups so I enjoy watching that kind of stuff. I'm also younger than most this forum so maybe that's why, although some act as if only 6 year olds watch the ASG.
Not sure how old you are but if your on the younger side like less than 30, the actual all star games you’ve watched since you were a kid have been absolutely atrocious. Players barely giving any effort and games ending up 18-16 isn’t hockey.
That’s why the new division vs division format was smart of the league to do cause I recall some talk of getting rid of it like the NFL was thinking of doing with their pitiful Pro Bowl exhibition.
That said when I was growing up and in early teens so we are talking circa 1974-75 due no one having cable TV yet and their only being a handful of stations, the only hockey you could watch was Ranger games on channel 9 and those were only the road games.
Than on a Sunday you’d get a game of the week on either channel 2 or 4 here in NY metro area. So not a lot of hockey you could actually watch. That’s why the all star game was a much much bigger deal for peeps like me who were around back than.
The all star game was our chance to watch Bobby Orr play with Rod Gilbert, Jean Ratelle pass the puck to Darryl Sittler,Bobby Hull shoot pees at Eddie Giacomen....shit like that.
And the players really tried and cared and winning the all star MVP was a huge big deal cause you won a nice car. And back than money wasn’t flowing obviously like today. I still remember vividly former Ranger Don Maloney winning the MVP and me feeling so proud cause it was a Ranger who won it!
Bottom line...I still get a kick out of the allstar game and even tho you and I are in the minority as most peeps I know personally and in here don’t dig it as much as I do....whatever it’s all good and different strokes for different folks.