History of the NHL all-star game
January 29 is the NHL's nearly
annual All-Star game. The All-Star
weekend includes the fantasy draft
on January 26 and skills competition
(my favourite part of the event) on
Janaury 28. Enjoyed by some and
maligned by others, the All-Star
game nevertheless has a long history
in the NHL. Here's a brief snapshot
of that history:
Hockey's first All-Star game was held in 1908 in Montreal. The Montreal Wanderers played against a team of All-Stars from the Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association. The Wanderes won 10- 7. Some recognizable names from both teams included Art Ross and Frank Patrick, among others.
The first All-Star game in NHL history was the Ace Bailey Benefit Game, held in February 1934 to raise money to support Ace Bailey, who had suffered a career ending injury the previous year. The game featured the Toronto Maple Leafs against a team of NHL All-Stars; the Leafs won 7-3.
Another All-Star game wasn't played in the NHL until the Howie Morenz Memorial Game in November 1937. Morenz died the previous March and had been a major star for the Habs. The Canadiens played a team of NHL All-Stars, and the All-Stars won 6-5.
In October 1939, another memorial game was played in honour of Babe Siebert, who had drowned the previous August. Again, the Canadiens played the NHL All- Stars, and the All-Stars won 5-2.
The first modern All-Star game took place in October 1947 in Toronto, with the Leafs, as defending Cup champions, taking on a team of NHL All-Stars; the All-Stars won 4-3. The game actually took place before the start of the NHL season, which was how the schedule worked for the first couple of decades of the All-Star game's existence.
From that point on, All-Star games were generally held every season, with a few exceptions, particularly for the 1979 Challenge Cup between the NHL All-Stars and the Soviet Union and the 1987 Rendez- Vous, again between the NHL and Soviet's best. The Olympics have also occasionally bumped the All- Star game off the NHL's schedule, as have the two lockouts over the past 20 years.
Should the All-Star game be scrapped? Fans and pundits have frequently asked this question in the past. The event feels kind of pointless at times and can be quite tedious for those who are looking ahead to the trade deadline, the stretch and the playoffs, which is when the best hockey is played anyway. I like the All-Star Game and I feel it should be kept, largely because it's an easy way to promote the NHL to wider media that might otherwise ignore the sport during the mid-point of the season.
The All-Star game has a storied tradition in the NHL. Although there are some who would like to do away with it, it's a nice marketing opportunity for the NHL's best stars and hockey in general.
Hockey's first All-Star game was held in 1908 in Montreal. The Montreal Wanderers played against a team of All-Stars from the Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association. The Wanderes won 10- 7. Some recognizable names from both teams included Art Ross and Frank Patrick, among others.
The first All-Star game in NHL history was the Ace Bailey Benefit Game, held in February 1934 to raise money to support Ace Bailey, who had suffered a career ending injury the previous year. The game featured the Toronto Maple Leafs against a team of NHL All-Stars; the Leafs won 7-3.
Another All-Star game wasn't played in the NHL until the Howie Morenz Memorial Game in November 1937. Morenz died the previous March and had been a major star for the Habs. The Canadiens played a team of NHL All-Stars, and the All-Stars won 6-5.
In October 1939, another memorial game was played in honour of Babe Siebert, who had drowned the previous August. Again, the Canadiens played the NHL All- Stars, and the All-Stars won 5-2.
The first modern All-Star game took place in October 1947 in Toronto, with the Leafs, as defending Cup champions, taking on a team of NHL All-Stars; the All-Stars won 4-3. The game actually took place before the start of the NHL season, which was how the schedule worked for the first couple of decades of the All-Star game's existence.
From that point on, All-Star games were generally held every season, with a few exceptions, particularly for the 1979 Challenge Cup between the NHL All-Stars and the Soviet Union and the 1987 Rendez- Vous, again between the NHL and Soviet's best. The Olympics have also occasionally bumped the All- Star game off the NHL's schedule, as have the two lockouts over the past 20 years.
Should the All-Star game be scrapped? Fans and pundits have frequently asked this question in the past. The event feels kind of pointless at times and can be quite tedious for those who are looking ahead to the trade deadline, the stretch and the playoffs, which is when the best hockey is played anyway. I like the All-Star Game and I feel it should be kept, largely because it's an easy way to promote the NHL to wider media that might otherwise ignore the sport during the mid-point of the season.
The All-Star game has a storied tradition in the NHL. Although there are some who would like to do away with it, it's a nice marketing opportunity for the NHL's best stars and hockey in general.
