Is an all-star game still an all-star game without the all-stars?
The number of days until the Atlanta game is dropping, but so too are the number of all-star selected players. Is it time to call in the replacements?
First it was Roberto Luongo. The fan's choice for goalie of the west pulled his name for family issues. The 'tender has opted to spend his break time with his pregnant wife down in Florida. She's expected to give birth to their first child in April.
While it was Luongo's own decision to skip the game, injuries are something beyond players' control. It must be hard justifying playing in a "fun" game at the risk of re-injuring yourself. Especially for those on playoff contending teams.
With that said, the biggest disappointment at this year's game has to be that Sidney Crosby won't be playing. The high ankle sprain will likely sideline the Kid for a month. Undeniably the most popular player in the league and at the upcoming game (he earned 500,000 plus votes by the fans) Crosby's absence will affect the game's wow factor down in Georgia. In the same boat as the Pens captain, Dany Heatley (out with a shoulder injury) and maybe even Daniel Alfredsson, who's been out of the Sens line-up for the past few games. But can you blame them?
Do you think players should be allowed to skip out on the all-star game because of other commitments? Or should they be required to play, after all it is a game showcasing the best of the best.
The all-star game is a joke. Most people I know, including myself don't watch it. Why would the players want to play in it?
I think they should give it some meaning? how? I dont know.
Make the winning team have home advantage in the SCF?
Also change the way the all-stars are picked. It is a joke and boring. I have only watched one in the last 5 years and even the highlights are boring. Campbell vs Wales was so awesome, now it is not.
To make things worse, the players are starting to realize this.
There's an All Star game this weekend? I'll pass. Just give the players the days off and call it the Winter Break. Name the all stars and don't play the game... please.
I completely agree with your take on Luongo. With the inflated salary and inflated privileges of gaining star status, there should come some implicit inflated responsibilities. If you are not injured or are not in the midst of a life-changing event (which I would accept "birth of my baby", not "small portion of the third trimester of my wife's pregnancy"), you should play in the game. Why is his wife in Florida, anyway? Spending time with his wife is so important he'll give a big "up yours" to the fans who paid him the ultimate respect, but not important enough for them to both live in the same city? If leaving behind his wife is working for Luongo, I just wish he would have had a talk with Pronger before he transplanted his family to Edmonton. I would have gladly taken Pronger with the missus staying in St Louis. Maybe he'd still be playing for the Oilers...
This All-star game is going to be the worst one ever.
Crosby, Heatley, Alfredsson, Gagne, Briere, Malkin, Stastny, Kane, Toews, Havlat, Luongo, Lundqvist, Backstrom, Biron
All those players are going to be missing the game. Maybe even Zetterberg because he's in some back pain recently
I'm 19-years old and i've watched every all-star game since the year 2000
I honestly dont' know if i'm going to watch it this year. Half the stars are missing. Look who's in the game: Gomez, Horcoff, Sedin, Arnott and a bunch of other no-names that people dont' want to see.
On a positive note, at least we get to see Gaborik play with offensive players like Datsyuk/Iginla/Thornton/Nash etc..
The game is "supposed" to be showcasing the best of the best. But it isn't.
The game showcases the best of each team, even though the fans dont' really want to see the best of some pathetic teams. We want to see the best of the snipers, playmakers, deke artists, slap-shot artists, fastest, etc...
On another note, who is going to win the "Fastest skater" contest? Gaborik or Kovalchuk or Ovechkin??
I say Gaborik
I am looking forward to the all-star game. Crosby or no Crosby. There is so much to look forward too.
I am looking forward to the all-star game. Crosby or no Crosby. There is so much to look forward too.
the only excting part of the whole all star weekend is the skills comp the actual game is always boring and honestly why are they not aloud to hit they run the same risk of injury in any other game they play i know i wont watch the game but i will most definatly watch the skills comp
How can people still be getting down on luongo for his choice... YOU DON"T GET PAID TOO BE IN THE ALL STAR GAME,it's a choice. In case people forgot come 3 months from now in April it will be the playoffs and could u imagine if Luongo skipped the playoffs he won't be able to cause he has to the job he actually get's paid to do. I wanna see how many people that are complaining about Luongo skipping it actually even bother to watch the All-Star game and how mcuh there weekend was ruined cause they didn't see Luongo play 1 period. Give it a rest.
Centacre, that's pretty much the most ignorant thing i've read. The reason he wants to be with his wife is cause she is having a difficult pregnancy in which she went BACK to florida to be with family and her doctors durin a difficult time, at the end of the day he's a person and has a life outside of hockey, havin an off season home in a state where his wife was born and raised and where he lived for the majority of his career is in no shape or form comparable to Chris pronger. They live in vancouve not florida, Luongo's not leaving his wife behind so get your facts straight.
Well I guess Luongo can take a few weeks off to help her in April, its not like Luongo has any plans this april is it??
Luongo has to be thinking he could miss the birth if the Canucks are in the middle of the playoffs, so whats wrong with spending time with his wife that he wont get until may or june.
Not to mention how many of you are complaining you don't watch the all-star game because its boring, now your complaining that they aren't playing.
Well seems to me if your not watching, and they're aren't playing, everyone is happy.
Personally I will be watching the game because there will be no other hockey to watch
NHL, MLB all star game and the NFL pro bowl game are such a waste of time. In fact, i dont know if anyone cares about the pro bowl. The only all-star game that i care about and i really enjoy watchin is the NBA all-star weekend from the dunk contest, rooks vs, soph game and the all-star game itself. NBA when it comes to all-star game is BY FAR the best, no one's even close.
Personally I don't really care that these players are or aren't playing, realistically the concern should be with finding ways to make the all-star game more interesting in general. I agree with some of the above comments, the NHL All-star game is a joke, it's not exciting at all, and the fans know this, and now apparently the players do too.
Everyone in the media is discussing and/or complaining about the amount of players that have opted out, and their various reasons, but if you think about, it's all probably the only thing really talking about in regards to the all-star game, and if it wasn't for that, everyone would be doing exactly what they do every year; complaining about how boring and uneventful the all-star game is itself. The only thing worth watching this weekend is the hardest shot.
Fix the game before worrying about the amount of players opting out.
YouKnowWho, what do you mean the MLB game is a huge waste of time, to me its the only All-Star game that really has meaning to it. Who ever wins, wither National or American League, gets home field advantage throughout the World Series. With them actually playing for something it makes the game worth watching, because the players actually go out to win, not to put a show on for the fans. Unlike hockey where players are trying things that would never happen in a real NHL game, those players go out their, EVEN PLAYING 162 games a year, to win, probably the 2nd biggest game they play, behind the World Series. I think if the NHL puts an idea like the MLB did and have the winning team get home ice advantage throughout the SCF, then the game might mean something to these players, not a time to dick around.
as for Luongo not going to the all-star game, and being a Canuck fan, I'm glad that he isn't, the Canucks are gonna need him to be as healthy and rested as possible for their final 3 weeks of the season.
I think we are taking the whole ALL-STAR thing way to far. It's suppose to be a all star weekend of fun, joking around, resting, and getting ready for the crunch of the last 3 months of the regular season. As far as some players opting out, so be it, someone like Luongo that has a BABY on the way, and a wife with a tough pregnancy, and plays 75 games a year needs a break. So he's taking it, good on him. I'm also tired of the media making this big thing about Lunong not holding his wait, think about the above stuff that has to be on his mind, and secondly, the team needs to score some goals in front of him. He can't shut out every team, and he has a GAA in the past 2 months of 1.73. How is he suppose to do any better???