The NHL All-Star Game: Then and Now

Way back when Eddie Shore was still playing in the NHL and the legendary Conn Smythe was coaching the Maple Leafs, there was a special event created. 

The event took place at Maple Leaf Gardens and it was a benefit for Irvine "Ace" Bailey who was no longer able to play in the NHL due to a unfortunate accident on the ice.  The event was intended to raise money for Bailey to live off of. 

The event consisted of the Maple Leafs playing the best players from the other five teams. It was, in fact, the first All-Star Game. 

The following years, the game consisted of the defending Stanley Cup Champions playing the best from the rest. It was great entertainment and the games were always close. 

Going back to this format of champs against the best of the rest would be very entertaining. Unfortunately for us, it could never happen. 

There is no way that the defending champs would ever go along with this—especially if the event were held as it is now, in the middle of the year. Unfortunately even if they changed the date to right before training camp, there would still be few who would agree. 

In the end, there will be no changes to the status quo. The NHL will forever be stuck with the low interest in its All-Star Game.  

The NHL and its passionate fans are continuously asking themselves why. 

The answer is simple:

There is no passion in the All-Star game. And they no longer do it for charity either.

The true hockey fan is expecting the game itself to be like a playoff game, full of intense moments. Instead what we receive is low intensity and no hits (after all it's just for publicity). 

Obviously players don't want to get hurt, especially when they aren't playing for their team, I have no problems with that. 

Yet, the players do care whether they win or lose. Towards the last five minutes of Sunday's game the pace did pick up, but it will forever play second fiddle to the regular season. 

The players do care and they do have fun, I'm not complaining about that. In fact, I enjoy watching them enjoy themselves—it's a nice thing to see. 

Unfortunately all that this game turns out to be is a glorified game of shinny. There's no denying that shinny is fun to play, all those who have played it with friends and family have great memories of it, but it's not what All-Star games are about. 

Shinny is the time to make new friends and new memories, it is not something that can be marketed as an awe-inspiring experience.