The NHL All-Star Game is an event most serious hockey fans mock. The event is a high-scoring affair which barely resembles hockey due to the fact checking is removed and defensive play is thrown out the window. Fans are usually more concerned about the health of their team’s participants as opposed to how well they actually perform. When it comes to selecting who competes in the All-Star Game, that’s a hot topic as well. This year the voting is even more laughable as five Chicago Blackhawks were leading vote receivers.
Will these six be the game’s starters? That hasn’t been announced, but that’d be an even more ridiculous headline.
Of the six players named, five are from one team. Isn’t that kind of … stupid? The All-Star Game is supposed to be a league event which offers fans and players a chance to kick back and see some of the game’s best players skate together. It’s supposed to highlight the best of the best. Unfortunately, using a popularity contest – one which you could probably figure out how to rig if you so desired – resulted in five Blackhawks right off the bat.
We’re not even going to stop and analyze whether each player deserved a roster spot (summary: Crawford and Seabrook definitely are not worthy of the votes they received), but we are reminding the NHL that this is supposed to be an exhibition highlighting the best of the best. What’s the point if that’s not going to be followed? Fan voting may give teams a rallying cry, but inevitably all of the larger markets (or perhaps one Latvian player) emerge as victors. The players who deserve to be recognized do not receive the attention they deserve.
It’s silly to rant about something as nonsensical as the All-Star Game considering it’s designed to be a fun event targeting the younger fans in the NHL. However, if the league is going to promote it and feature it so prominently, the ridicule regarding five of the six players named originating from one team is well deserved.
