The Toronto Maple Leafs will be hosting the 2024 NHL All-Star Game and the NHL can learn a lot from those festivities.
It’s always exciting when a big event comes to Toronto, especially involving the Toronto Maple Leafs, but as I spoke about a few days ago, the local fan will more than likely just have to watch at home, despite living minutes away from the arena.
It’s really no big deal that you’ll have to watch the event from home because the All-Star Game is usually a disappointment. I know it’s more for kids and an excuse to gain more revenue, but the league could do more to entertain all of their fans, instead of their youngest demographic.
When the Toronto Maple Leafs last hosted the NHL All-Star Game, it was a big deal.
It was the 50th NHL All-Star Game and it felt like the league took it seriously. The skills competition was straight-forward and the other festivities around the event were perfected.
It was a special moment, being the 50th addition of the event, because the first All-Star Game took place in 1947 in Toronto, as well.
NHL Could Learn a Lot From Last All-Star Game in Toronto
The game of hockey has evolved a lot since that last All-Star Game, but it doesn’t mean they can’t learn from that event. The only thing that hasn’t changed is that Jaromir Jagr is still playing professional hockey, which is crazy to believe.
So what made that All-Star Game different?
Well, the event focused on real hockey. They didn’t play a 3-on-3 event where you can’t showcase the true sport, but instead, they had three marquee legitimate hockey games.
The Canadian Hockey League kicked off the week of events with a Top Prospects Game, showcasing the very best in junior hockey. Instead of having that event on it’s own, they highlighted in Toronto, giving local fans a chance to see junior hockey’s best.
From there, they put on an Exhibition Game between Team USA and Team Canada’s national teams, highlighting the best women hockey players in the world.
The NHL has done a good job over the years incorporating the best women’s hockey players into it’s skills challenges, but it doesn’t show enough. Instead, it could be a great opportunity to do a legitimate game during All-Star Weekend next year, continuing to showcase the women’s game.
Before we get to the game itself, the Skills Competition was easy. There wasn’t anything that dorky or dumb, but instead it was straight forward. The Puck Control Relay, Fastest Skater, Accuracy Shooting, Hardest Shot and a Goaltenders Competition were the only skills competitions, which as a hockey fan, is all you really need.
Last, but not least, they went away from Conferences and focused on Team North America vs. Team World. Since NHL players haven’t been able to play in the Olympics since 2014, we haven’t seen the world’s best-on-best in nine years now.
As a result, the NHL should look to do this format again, highlighting the best players in the world and not worrying about Conferences. Not only that, but we shouldn’t have a player from each team represented if they’re not one of the best players in the league.
Imagine an Auston Matthews-Connor McDavid-Mitch Marner line vs Nikita Kucherov-Leon Draisaitl-David Pastrnak as an example?
That would truly showcase the NHL’s best from each side of the globe and we wouldn’t have to wait and worry if Draisaitl and Matthews would get into the NHL All-Star Game thanks to a fan vote.
The NHL can learn a lot from the last All-Star Game and I hope they do, because if they don’t, it’ll once again be a non-watched event from it’s biggest fans.