The All-Star game is an annual match played in the NHL
by the top players in the league. The format of the All-Star game has been
frequently changing as the league tries to find a format that is most suitable
for the fans and players.
To hear about PK's first All-Star game: PK is an All-Star Monster
Skills
Competition
Since 1990, there has been a skills competition the
day before the All-Star game. The events have varied over the years but certain
events are mainstays, such as the fastest skater, determined by skating one-lap
around the rink, the most accurate shot, determined by who can hit four targets
in the least amount of time, the hardest shot, with pucks flying over 100 mph,
and a breakaway competition.
All-Star
Game
The All-Star game plays with similar rules to a
regular hockey game, however, the players self-limit body contact and often
play without helmets. There are three periods each 20 minutes in length and the
team with the most goals at the end of the game wins. If needed there is a five
minute sudden death overtime period followed by a shootout if no one scores in
overtime.
Best
Players
In the past, the league decided which players would
make the All-Star game single-handedly. Currently, the process is more open and
opaque as there is a fan balloting process, which makes it appear like the fans
get to choose who the best players are, however the NHL’s Hockey Operations
Department still has the final word. There are also certain rules that affect
the lineup of the All-Star game. For example, every team must have at least one
player present at the All-Star game. However, with 30 teams in the NHL and only
42 players at the All-Star game this means that few teams can send more than
one player.
Deciding
Team Captains
The players who are selected to play at the All-Star
game are allowed vote for the game’s captains. The voting is by secret ballot.
Often a player from the host team gets chosen as one of the captains, for
example Eric Staal in 2011 when the game was in Carolina, and Daniel Alfredsson
in 2012 when the game was in Ottawa.
Drafting
Players
Since the 2011 All-Star game, the teams have been
selected by a fantasy draft by the team captains. The captains take turns
selecting the players that they want on their teams. This differs from
traditional NHL All-Star game formats, which have been either Eastern
Conference vs. Western Conference, or the North America vs. the World.
References
NHL.com: NHL Skills Competition All-Time Results,
1990-2011
NHL.com:
All-Star Game to Feature New Fantasy Draft
NHL.com: Alfredsson, Chara named All-Star Game
captains
NHL.com: E. Staal, Lidstrom named 2011 All-Star
captains
