Toronto Maple Leafs: 5 Ways to Improve NHL All-Star Game
The Toronto Maple Leafs will have two players represented at the NHL All-Star Game this year, which isn’t enough.
If you look up-and-down the Toronto Maple Leafs roster, you could argue that the team should have sent four other players beside Auston Matthews and Jack Campbell.
William Nylander, John Tavares, Mitch Marner and Morgan Rielly are all deserving candidates and in an equal playing-field, they probably would have been selected too.
Speaking of which, here are a few ways the NHL could improve it’s NHL All-Star Game
No. 1: Invite The Best Players
Nazem Kadri is third in the NHL in points and wasn’t originally selected to the NHL All-Star Game. Instead, it took for an “NHL Last Man In” vote for him to get selected.
Since the NHL has a rule where they have to invite a player from every single team, Kadri didn’t make the list because the Colorado Avalanche already had a player selected. The fact that the team couldn’t invite multiple players is a complete joke and the league should be ashamed.
This isn’t a charity contest. The players who are most deserving of this honor should be invited and if it means there are five Toronto Maple Leafs and five Tampa Bay Lightning players, then so be it.
No. 2: Change the 3-on-3 Team’s
The current format is a 3-on-3 tournament between each division. Instead of incorporating the divisional match-up’s, why not do a World Cup event instead?
Since the players haven’t been able to play in the Olympics since 2014, we’ve missed out on International’s best-on-best. For the 3-on-3 event, they should do a Team Canada, Team USA, Team World and Team Young Guns.
Similar to how the World Cup of Hockey worked, this format could be really fun in an All-Star Game.
No. 3: Zamboni Driver Goalies
Since these games don’t mean anything and the goaltenders get ripped apart during these games, each team should have to play one period with a Zamboni driver as their goalie.
Unfortunately if Auston Matthews has to go up against him, he won’t score, so whatever team he’s facing will have a huge advantage.
No. 4: Crazy Rule Changes
The All-Star Game is supposed to be fun and there’s nothing fun about offside’s or icing. Let’s eliminate both of these and make the game two 30-minute running clock halves, so that it’s fast and efficient.
Also, every now and then, they should introduce different pucks that are worth more. For example, if you score with the “2X Puck” each goal will be worth two goals instead of one. Or if you score with the “Sinbin Puck,” you’ll get to go on the power-play.
No. 5: Winner Gets Home-Ice in Stanley Cup Finals
From 2003-2016, the MLB had a rule where the winner of the MLB All-Star received home-field advantage in the World Series. Although some found it unfair, it did make the game a lot more exciting.
As such, the NHL could look at bringing this rule to it’s sport to spice up the game and make players try harder.
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Regardless, the NHL probably won’t change anything and the All-Star Game will continue to be boring for years to come.