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Sunday, February 4, 2001
All-Star style over substance works just fine
By Barry Melrose
Special to ESPN.com
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The upcoming All-Star exhibition being played Sunday in Denver won't really resemble a regular-season game and will look absolutely nothing like a playoff game. But there are reasons to watch this game whether you're a first-time fan interested in a spectacle or a hardcore hockey fan who will see his favorite players with the opportunity to move offensively.
For viewers who aren't familiar with the game, this is an opportunity to watch hockey without being concerned about the rules. The object of the game isn't important, nor are some of the more confusing rules like icing or the two-line pass. The All-Star Game is a good time to sit back and watch incredibly skilled athletes basically do tricks they would never do in a game. You might not see a half-court, alley-oop jam in a regular-season basketball game, but players are certainly going to try things like that in an All-Star situation.
These players can try things like that because they don't have to fight through a normally stingy defense to get in position. Fast players will be able to bring their speed to bear. Shifty players can break out niftier moves. In a regular-season game, a player is apt to get killed trying some of the moves that will be on display Sunday.
Non-hockey fans can get caught up in the spectacle. The jerseys will be colorful and the size, speed and talent of the athletes will be apparent. Throw in the fact there will be an Us-vs.-Them feel due to the international format, and there are plenty of reasons to watch, even if you don't normally watch hockey.
For fans with a more practiced eye, they will of course watch for many of the same reasons: the chance to see amazingly talented players who are free to do more than they are usually able in a tight game. But another thing they will be able to keep their eye on and appreciate is the difference in style between the North Americans, on one side, and the Europeans on the other.
Who's going to come out on top, Rob Blake on defense or Peter Forsberg up front? Would you rather have a predominantly European team like Pittsburgh or do you prefer a team stocked with rugged North Americans like Dallas? This is a chance for fans to see what style they like better. It also affords them the opportunity to look at matchups they never see during the season. Even players from the same team will be going head-to-head in this format.
Barry Melrose, a former NHL defenseman and coach, is a hockey analyst for ESPN.
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ALSO SEE
2001 NHL All-Star Game coverage
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