The Good and Bad of the All-Star Game

Mike Hieka, from the Dallas Morning News, writes that the NHL All-Star game is a reflection of the good and bad in hockey throughout the years.

While some hockey enthusiasts are excited to see the players showcased in an offensive-minded game, others would prefer to see a hard-fought game.

"It has no credibility now," said Red Fisher, sports editor for the Montreal Gazette and dean of hockey writers, who has attended more than 30 NHL All-Star Games. "What it's become is nothing more than a schmooze between the NHL biggies and their corporate sponsors. . . . The game no longer is what hockey is all about. No hitting. No shot-blocking. Not even a hard stare."

I’d say Mr. Fisher is onto something. While it is just an all-star game, and other sports hardly showcase defensive contests for their all-star events, a lot of games in the NHL this year have started to look more and more like all-star games. Indeed, as Fisher mentions, the hitting has dropped; and the hard stares are becoming a thing of the past.

Read Mike Hieka's story here.