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Professional sports across the spectrum have tried to make their All-Star games more watchable for years. I've always argued leagues shouldn't try to re-create their in-game product for these events -- there's no incentive to try very hard and the result is always a bunch of sloppy, grandstanding nonsense. Instead, why not create an entirely new game format involving the same skills but with an entirely different competitive dynamic? Give the NHL credit for trying something along these lines: this year they're going with a three-game 3-on-3 tournament.
Fans will begin the player selection process by voting a "Team Captain" for all four divisions. Then, NHL Hockey Operations will then select the 40 most deserving candidates for the selection pool. After the captains divvy up the players, they will play one of their opponents for the right to play the winner of the other game. Pretty straightforward and could certainly make for some entertaining television.
Voting starts right now, as in this very minute -- 12:00 PM EST/10:00 AM MST. Go to NHL.com/Vote and vote for your favorite player to be captain of the Central Division. I'm thinking Nate Guenin would be an excellent choice here. You can vote for him up to ten times a day. Given the 31 days before now and the announcement on January 1st, I expect each and every one of you to vote for Nate Guenin 310 times, hear? No excuses.
Questions Of Utmost Importance
- Who do you think wins the four captain spots?
- Which Avalanche players do you see being selected among the Top-40?
- Do you like the format being utilized?
- How many goals does Nate Guenin score on those fools?