NHL All-Star Weekend 2012: Fantasy Draft, Super Skills, and All-Star Game

OTTAWA, ON - JANUARY 26: (L-R) Milan Michalek, Jason Spezza and Erik Karlsson of the Ottawa Senators answer questions from the media during a media availabilty prior to the 2012 NHL All-Star Game Fantasy Draft at Hilton Lac Leamy on January 26, 2012 in Ottawa, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

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The 2012 All-Star Game festivities have kicked off in splendid fashion with the Rideau Canal sporting many of the NHL's trophies, which were were on their way to the Ottawa Convention Centre, this afternoon.

This weekend has something for everyone, and, even though tickets for this All-Star Game and Skills Competition are scarce, fans can still check out the Ottawa Convention Centre both tomorrow (Friday) as well as all day Saturday.

For all things All-Star related, stay tuned to this quick hits article as I will be both downtown and at Scotiabank Place this weekend writing on the festivities and events to follow.

Tonight is the All-Star Fantasy draft, a draft that has been some what predictable in some instances, but whose outcome has been completely unforeseen in others.

5:08 PM ET

All-Star Game 2012: Columbus Blue Jackets Win Bid to Host 2013 All-Star Game

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The NHL has given the 2013 All-Star Game to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The 12-year-old Blue Jackets have only made the playoffs once, and have never won a playoff game.

They currently only fill (per ESPN.com) just over 80 percent of seats averaging only 14,663 fans per home contest.

This ranks 26th in the league, ahead of only Dallas, Phoenix, and the New York Islanders.

The Ottawa Senators franchise is benefiting greatly from this All-Star Game weekend.

Ottawa is no traditional hockey market, but their season ticket promotion has them now sitting at 100.4 percent of capacity according to ESPN.com.

The 2013 NHL All-Star weekend could give the Blue Jackets the boost they need to get more fans to their games, and bring them up to the League average.

Either way, a tweet from National Post blogger, Sean McIndoe quipped about the Columbus receiving the All-Star Game in 2013:

"Well, that's one way to fix that whole "too many hometown players in the starting lineup" issue."

Ouch.

1:14 AM ET

Ryan Suter Doesn't Want to Talk Contract with Predators Before Deadline?

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Nashville GM David Poile
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Ryan Suter made a remark today at the Media Day for the All-Star Weekend that he did not "see the points of doing it."

The "it" of which Suter is speaking is proceeding with contract negotiations.

Suter stated that "it would be a distraction at this point. I will still be with Nashville until July 1, and we could still get something done."

Well unfortunately for Nashville's GM David Poile, he only has until July 1st before he no longer retains rights over Suter.

Suter will be an immovable asset after the trade deadline of February 27th and will remain immovable until Nashville's season is over.

After February 27th, if Poile is unable to come to terms with the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent defenseman, Suter's trade value would drop astronomically. His trade value for rights to negotiate until the unrestricted free agency period that starts on July 1st would be less than a quarter of what his trade value would be before the deadline.

Poile is also caught between a rock and a hard place because Nashville is contending for a Central Division title (something Nashville has never accomplished as a franchise) and if not the title, a top four seed in the playoffs, a feat the Predators have not accomplished since leading the Central Division with 51 wins in 2006-07.

Ah, decisions, decisions.

Which ones will Poile make, and will they be the right ones for the long term of the Predators?

7:48 PM ET

Pavel Datsyuk Attains High Praise from Chara

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Christian Petersen/Getty Images

In the NHL All-Star Media Day today, Zdeno Chara was posed the question of "why Pavel Datsyuk as your first choice?"

Chara's answer was pretty cut and dry.

"Pavel plays the game the right way...he is the best two-way player in the game."

Chara went on to exalt Datsyuk further as he called him "the best player in the League."

In response, all Datsyuk had to say was "thank you". A phrase which he said six times in two minutes while being interviewed today at the Media Day.

9:28 PM ET

Zdeno Chara Follows Up on "Promise" to Not Pick Sedins, Alfredsson Reaps Benefits

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Rich Lam/Getty Images

Zdeno Chara apparently promised teammate Milan Lucic that he would not be taking a certain set of twins.

Per TSN's James Duffie on Twitter:

"Milan Lucic (laughing) on Chara as All-Star captain: "I'm pretty sure there won't be any Canucks on Z's team."

(View the Tweet here).

Works out better for Team Alfredsson, as Daniel Sedin was scooped up with the 9th Alfredsson pick, while his brother Henrik fell to Alfredsson's 13th pick.

As far as the All Star Weekend goes, this will likely have more impact in the game rather than the skills competition.

It would be to nobody's surprise to see the Sedins on the same line. As far as the skills competition is concerned, it would be different as Henrik might be one of the passers in the accuracy challenge with Daniel shooting.

Either way, Alfredsson likely needed his own brothers because his "home town bias" had him select Erik Karlsson and Jason Spezza first.

This is not to say that Karlsson and Spezza are bad players, and indeed far from it, but there were much better players available.

Long story short, the Sedins were a much needed pick up for Alfredsson.