All-Star break is over... FINALLY

It's Monday morning 1:00 am, the NHL All-Star break festivities in RALEIGH, N.C. have come to an end. This year's All-Star game was another long game for the goalies with a total of 21 goals. 11-10 the final score with Team Lidstrom edging out the "home" Team Staal. When the captains were selected it seemed like a no brainer for Lidstrom to be selected by players as a captain. I don't know if any player in the league right now has more respect from their peers than Lidstrom. With Datsyuk being hurt and Zetterberg asking not be selected Lidstrom was the only player representing the Wings. Staal being selected also made sense since the game was taking place in the city that he plays for. Staal also selected the other Hurricane players to play on his team along with brother Marc.

Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Marc-Andre Fleury (Letang and Fleury pictured to the left) of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith of the Chicago Blackhawks are the six players selected as NHL All-Stars via 2011 NHL All-Star Fan Balloting. They weren't the starters, which is what is usually what is voted on by fans for the NHL All-Star Game. But this year with the new Fantasy Draft format, the Fantasy Draft took place on Friday, it just meant the six players were guaranteed a spot on one of the two rosters. Two of the biggest names on that list were unable to attend this years festivities due to injury. I was personally disappointed that Sid and Geno were unable to play or compete in the Super Skills Competition on Saturday even. I didn't plan on even watching much of the events going on this weekend, I ended up watching it all between Versus and NHL Network re-airs of the programing. I was amused by the fact that the Sedins (pictured to the left) were drafted to different teams and were competing against each other for the first time. They have been on the same team since they were six years old. Overall I was actually entertained by this weekends schedule.

A few things that still need to be changed in the All-Star game in my opinion is that the game needs to count for something. I like what the MLB did by making the their All-Star game winner get home field advantage in the World Series over the losing league. It makes the game more interesting because there is actually something at stake, something to play for. Coaches and GMs would be much less reluctant of wanting their stars to compete if the game has some meaning. Home Ice can be a big deal during the Stanley Cup Finals, and with that at stake, it would make the All-Star game much more interesting.

But now that its over, can we please get back to some hockey that matters.

Posted by: Nick