gingi79
01-05-2012, 05:47 PM
I don't think I am alone in thinking that the concept of an All Star game has run it's course. Every year, the majority of players are getting less and less spectacular with fan's illogical influence and players who skip for whatever reasons. The NHL has just proven how little a selection should mean to define a player's career specifically as an "accomplishment" to defend a marginal player's selection to the HOF. Gary Bettman, the commissioner of the NHL has stated he wants "more fan involvement" when it comes to the game. Pretty soon, they will select the entire team and if today's debacle is any indication....
Ottawa, the town hosting the event, is the 14th best team in the NHL with a marginal chance at even making the playoffs sent 4 of the 6 starters and just barely missed sending 5. The other player that snuck past a Senator is a Toronto Maple Leaf defenseman playing for a team with almost zero chance of making the playoffs. Somehow, fans were able to award actual accomplishment and send the best goalie in the league last season who also happened to single handedly win the Stanley Cup as well.
Ok, maybe a team's ability to win shouldn't influence All Star game selections as it's an individual honor for a team game. Here's where they stand in terms of goals/assists/points:
36th/12th/11th= Jason Spezza. The guy would normally make the game and is a very good winger. Granted, he'd be selected after about 20 other players.
222nd/2nd/18th = Erik Karlsson. He was the top vote getter and is the two hundred and twenty second best goal scorer in the NHL. He is great at assists but no one in the NHL actually has meetings before the game and questions how to stop him. Admittedly, he is 1st in assists and points amongst defensemen and has a bright future. But his Plus/Minus which is how many goals he is on the ice for when his team scores versus when the other team does. This stat finds him in 243rd place in the NHL and 115th amonst defensemen at an atrocious +1. That's awful. He deserves the nod, but he isn't the NHL's Albert Pujols, Aaron Rodgers or Kobe Bryant.
60th/84th/67th = Daniel Alfredsson. The captain of the team hosting the game. Not an All Star this season, in the waning years of his career and was voted by the home fans as a thank you. Sure, you can understand it but still.
6th/293rd/78th = Milan Michalek. Ok the guy is at least scoring goals like an All Star but when 300 guys have more assists and almost 80 have more points? Not All Star numbers, not a guy other teams fear.
194th/38th/78th = Dion Phaneuf. He's a defenseman so you look more at grit and his ability to stop players from scoring rather his stats. He's good, players hate playing against him. He deserves to play in the game as his numbers amongst defensemen place him 9th/7th/6th but +0? Atrocious 316th in the NHL and 139th among defensemen.
The top 10 teams in the NHL sent 1 player so far. Without debating the value or importance of the game, can't it now be said that claiming a player made the game means nothing? The home team or State (or in this case Providence) hosting the game skewers balloting, fans vote with their hearts rather than for the players accomplishment and dozens of guys never deserve to ever get the nod while others who have 2 or 3 seasons when the deserved it, never get to go. (ahem, Sami Salo)
Ottawa, the town hosting the event, is the 14th best team in the NHL with a marginal chance at even making the playoffs sent 4 of the 6 starters and just barely missed sending 5. The other player that snuck past a Senator is a Toronto Maple Leaf defenseman playing for a team with almost zero chance of making the playoffs. Somehow, fans were able to award actual accomplishment and send the best goalie in the league last season who also happened to single handedly win the Stanley Cup as well.
Ok, maybe a team's ability to win shouldn't influence All Star game selections as it's an individual honor for a team game. Here's where they stand in terms of goals/assists/points:
36th/12th/11th= Jason Spezza. The guy would normally make the game and is a very good winger. Granted, he'd be selected after about 20 other players.
222nd/2nd/18th = Erik Karlsson. He was the top vote getter and is the two hundred and twenty second best goal scorer in the NHL. He is great at assists but no one in the NHL actually has meetings before the game and questions how to stop him. Admittedly, he is 1st in assists and points amongst defensemen and has a bright future. But his Plus/Minus which is how many goals he is on the ice for when his team scores versus when the other team does. This stat finds him in 243rd place in the NHL and 115th amonst defensemen at an atrocious +1. That's awful. He deserves the nod, but he isn't the NHL's Albert Pujols, Aaron Rodgers or Kobe Bryant.
60th/84th/67th = Daniel Alfredsson. The captain of the team hosting the game. Not an All Star this season, in the waning years of his career and was voted by the home fans as a thank you. Sure, you can understand it but still.
6th/293rd/78th = Milan Michalek. Ok the guy is at least scoring goals like an All Star but when 300 guys have more assists and almost 80 have more points? Not All Star numbers, not a guy other teams fear.
194th/38th/78th = Dion Phaneuf. He's a defenseman so you look more at grit and his ability to stop players from scoring rather his stats. He's good, players hate playing against him. He deserves to play in the game as his numbers amongst defensemen place him 9th/7th/6th but +0? Atrocious 316th in the NHL and 139th among defensemen.
The top 10 teams in the NHL sent 1 player so far. Without debating the value or importance of the game, can't it now be said that claiming a player made the game means nothing? The home team or State (or in this case Providence) hosting the game skewers balloting, fans vote with their hearts rather than for the players accomplishment and dozens of guys never deserve to ever get the nod while others who have 2 or 3 seasons when the deserved it, never get to go. (ahem, Sami Salo)