Here’s a look at the National Hockey League (NHL) All-Star Game.
January 29, 2017 – The NHL All-Star Game takes place at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The Metropolitan Division defeats the Pacific Division, 4-3. Wayne Simmonds is named MVP.
January 31, 2016 – The NHL All-Star Game is held at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. The Pacific team defeats the Atlantic team 1-0 in the inaugural three-on-three All-Star tournament final. John Scott is named the MVP.
Other Facts:
The All-Star Game is sponsored by Honda.
2016 brings a format change, where the teams play three-on-three in a tournament, in games lasting 20 minutes.
Fans vote online to select the captains of four divisions. The player with the most votes in his division wins.
The NHL Hockey Operations Dept. selects the remaining 40: six forwards, three defensemen and two goalies per team, for a total of 44 All-Stars. There are 11 players on each team.
The division representatives in the Western (Central and Pacific) and Eastern (Atlantic and Metropolitan) conferences play, then the winners face off for the championship.
2017 NHL All-Star Team Captains:
Atlantic Division: Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens
Central Division: P.K. Subban, Nashville Predators
Metropolitan Division: Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
Pacific Division: Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
Timeline:
October 13, 1947 – The first NHL All-Star Game is played in Toronto. The defending Stanley Cup team played a selection of players from the league’s other teams.
1966-1967 – The All-Star Game is moved from the start of the season to mid-season.
1968 – The last year that the defending Stanley Cup team played against a selection of All-Stars.
1979 – The All-Star Game is replaced with a game pitting NHL stars against players from the Soviet Union. This happens again in 1987.
1995 – The All-Star Game is canceled due to a labor dispute.
1998 – The format of the All-Star Game is changed again. North American stars play against a group of all-stars from around the world. This format lasts for five years.
2005 – The All-Star Game is canceled due to a labor dispute.
2006, 2010, 2014 – No All-Star Game due to the Winter Olympics.
2011 – The format of the All-Star Game changes from a conference vs. conference format to a fantasy draft format.
2013 – The All-Star game is canceled due to a labor dispute.
January 25, 2015 – The NHL All-Star Game is held in Columbus, Ohio. Team Toews defeats Team Foligno 17-12, in the highest scoring All-Star Game in history.
November 2015 – The format changes again, to a three-on-three tournament between the four division teams.
