For a league not often regarded as a leader in the American professional sports landscape, the National Hockey League has stepped into somewhat uncharted territory with its decision to overhaul its All-Star Game format.
The 2011 All-Star Weekend will begin with two captains taking part in a fantasy draft, each building his team from a group of peers -- the first of the big four sports in this country to adopt such a selection process. Fans will choose six of the participants, while the remaining 36 All-Stars will be named by the NHL Hockey Operations; those 42 players will vote on the captains.
The decision, to me at least, is a welcome change for a number of reasons.
First, fantasy sports are a billion-dollar industry with tens of millions of players on this continent. What better way to grab their collective attention than having the pros themselves take part? Yahoo! Sports thought it would be a good idea earlier this season when it gave fans a chance to join a fantasy league featuring NHL stars Eric Staal and Zach Parise.
This seems like an idea that would typically come out of the marketing departments of the NBA, NFL or maybe Major League Baseball. That the NHL would beat them to the punch is a victory in my eyes. I wouldn't be surprised to see something similar from those other leagues at some point in the future.
The new format also gives the All-Star Weekend a pulse again, at a time when some considered pulling the plug on it altogether. While that was never going to happen given the financial interests in the game held by owners, advertisers and the league, the idea wasn't without its merit.
The Skills Competition still held appeal, especially the Breakaway Challenge and its opportunities for prop comedy, but the game itself needed work. The draft adds an interesting wrinkle for both fans and the players, a third night to All-Star Weekend and a television-friendly product with the ability to become one of the bigger dates on the hockey calendar.
And it gives everyone in the hockey media and blogosphere plenty of material to debate -- topics much less depressing than empty arenas and concussions, too. What will the teams be named if not East vs. West or North America vs. World? Who would make good captains? Will there be some blatant nepotism at work with the picks? Will anyone be passed over in rhyming fashion for having "hands of cement"?
Would a player like Sidney Crosby, should be be chosen as a captain, re-write history and put Marian Hossa back on his wing? Would he pick Alex Ovechkin despite their rivalry? Think of the controversy if Crosby snubbed teammate Evgeni Malkin for his fellow countryman.
There'll be plenty of questions to answer between now and January 28, and fun ones, too, but none of them will be about the NHL missing an opportunity.
And it gives everyone in the hockey media and blogosphere plenty of material to debate -- topics much less depressing than empty arenas and concussions, too. What will the teams be named if not East vs. West or North America vs. World? Who would make good captains? Will there be some blatant nepotism at work with the picks? Will anyone be passed over in rhyming fashion for having "hands of cement"?
Would a player like Sidney Crosby, should be be chosen as a captain, re-write history and put Marian Hossa back on his wing? Would he pick Alex Ovechkin despite their rivalry? Think of the controversy if Crosby snubbed teammate Evgeni Malkin for his fellow countryman.
There'll be plenty of questions to answer between now and January 28, and fun ones, too, but none of them will be about the NHL missing an opportunity.
This time they're leading the way.
(Editor's Note: While I do think this idea looks great on paper, I'm taking a wait-and-see approach to this new concept. Drafting players will be intriguing, but there remains the fact that nothing is on the line in this game. I'll be curious to see how the players think of this. What do YOU think of the new format? Sound off in the comments!)
Photo credit: Getty Images
(Editor's Note: While I do think this idea looks great on paper, I'm taking a wait-and-see approach to this new concept. Drafting players will be intriguing, but there remains the fact that nothing is on the line in this game. I'll be curious to see how the players think of this. What do YOU think of the new format? Sound off in the comments!)
Photo credit: Getty Images
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