This weekend the NHL will send its best and brightest stars to Montreal for the 2009 All-Star Game. Sadly the All-Star Game, as it is in most sports, is nothing more than a watered-down version of the regular game. It's just a glorified exhibition that lacks the beautiful little nuances that make hockey so great. But if you're a hockey fan, like myself, then I highly suggest that you sit down (or set the DVR), find Versus on your local cable lineup, and enjoy the Honda/NHL Super Skills Competition. Forget the game on Sunday. Just focus on the Skills contest.
The Skills contest is a comprehensive showcase of all the talents and skill sets necessary to play hockey at the highest level. Events include the Hardest Shot, Fastest Skater, Breakaway Challenge, Elimination Shootout, Accuracy Contest, and the YoungStars showcase. For those who either lack an introduction to hockey or struggle to appreciate the sheer beauty of the game, this is the perfect avenue to change one's narrow mindset on the sport.
The Hardest Shot competition is a demonstration of brut force. It is simply one man putting everything he's got behind his shot and firing one into the net. I know it sounds so simple but it's riveting. It's amazing to watch an individual just rip a puck at over 100 mph into the net. Washington Captials defenseman Al Iafrate set the record back in 1993 with a shot of 105.2 mph. Ironically, that record was set in Montreal at the old Forum.
The Fastest Skater is another simple yet beautiful competiton. It's set up similarly to an Olympic speed skating competition as players race against both each other and the clock. Skaters simply have to complete one lap around the rink. Several players in the past have done this in under 14 seconds. Think about that for a minute: the size of the hockey rink, the tight turns, and the body control required to skate in hockey makes for a thrilling 15 second ride.
The Breakaway Challenge is like hockey meets an And-1 mix tape. Shooters start at the blueline and work in on the goalie utilizing as many tricks as they can before trying to put the puck in the back of the net. To ensure the maximum amount of creativity, the fans actually determine the winner of this contest. They text their votes to the NHL and the league tallies them up to determine the winner. There are some truly gifted puck handlers in this contest: Alexander Ovechkin, Ryan Getzlaf, Alex Kovalev, Patrick Kane, & Sidney Crosby. If you want to see some incredible stick work that reminds you of the Harlem Globetrotters on ice then this is the event for you.
The Accuracy Contest is an exercise in precision. There are four targets, one on each corner of the net. Players get a maximum of eight shots to hit the four targets. The dead-on aim is a sight to behold. Only four players have ever taken out four targets on just four shots, the most notable being Ray Bourque. The combination of finesse, strength, and accuracy is impressive and I feel that this event, along with the Hardest Shot contest, are the best parts of the SuperSkills competition.
The YoungStars showcase has been amended to a 3-on-3 showdown featuring 10 of the best sophomores in the league against 10 of the best rookies in the NHL. The 3-on-3 format takes me back to the days of pond hockey, the days when things were simple and all that mattered was playing the game. And that's how these young athletes treat this event. It's quite obvious the joy these youngsters have, being in the NHL and on this stage. This game is also a great peek into the future of the league as 17 YoungStars alumni have now played in the All-Star Game.
The only complaint I have about the SuperSkills is the lack of events for the goaltenders. Yes, they are involved in the Breakaway Challenge but that event is clearly designed for the tricks and moves of the shooters. There is also the Elimination Shootout where all 36 skaters shoot rapid fire, penalty shot-style, one after another until there is only one skater and one goalie left standing. Luckily, the goalies have their own showcase during the regular season in the form of the shootout.
Beauty, grace, power, speed, agility, and accessibility are all key components to the SuperSkills contest. Any hockey fan, new or old, knowledgable or curious, can enjoy this night. It's also a chance for players to take their helmets off, show their faces, and market their incredible sport. And the best part of the Superskills? Simply the fact that every single event involves the actual All-Stars. Imagine how much more exciting the NBA Slam Dunk Contest would be if the field included Kobe & LeBron.
So, like I said before, find Versus in your local cable channel lineup, grab a beer, sit back, and allow the stars of the NHL to show you just why their misunderstood and underappreciated sport is actually beyond incredible.
As for Sunday...Pass on the All-Star Game and wait for regular season play to resume on Tuesday.
Some news and notes:
-Brendan Shanahan is back in Jersey and already making an impact. The NHL's active leading all-time goal scorer netted the 651st tally of his career in the Devils' 3-1 win over Nashville on Monday night. Shanny, the 20-year veteran, was brought back for a second stint in the Garden State to provide help on the power play. His goal, you guessed it, was on the power play.
-Kudos to Tony Dungy on both a great coaching career and being able to leave the game on his terms to spend more time with his family. Dungy was the first head coach in NFL history to make the playoffs in 10 consecutive seasons and the first to have six straight 12+ win seasons. Dungy took the Buccaneers from laughing stock to legitimate playoff contender. He then racked up a .759 winning percentage in 7 seasons with the Colts, including the landmark Super Bowl XLI victory, becoming the first African-American head coach in NFL history to win the Super Bowl. He was an excellent football coach and a man of principle. If you haven't read his book, Quiet Strength, I strongly suggest you go out and buy it right now. The NFL needs more good men like Dungy roaming its sidelines and he will be missed.
-The Boston Red Sox are quite the study this off-season. They have raided the bargain bin for players such as John Smoltz, Mark Kotsay, Josh Bard, & Brad Penny. The pitching surplus that GM Theo Epstein has accumulated is both a great insurance policy against injury and a strong asset in possible trades. Even if only one or two of his acquisitions pan out, it would still be considered a successful off-season, considering he spent well below the market rate for these players. Another amazing fact, Epstein has never had a player take him to arbitration during his tenure as Red Sox GM. Impressive.
-It's always sad for me as a college football fan to watch so many underclassmen declare for the NFL Draft. But I just want to say thanks to all the dynamite players that decided another year as the big man on campus wasn't such a bad idea.
-I'll save you all the Super Bowl talk and simply say that if anyone thought the Arizona Cardinals would be playing for the Lombardi Trophy in two weeks, that person should open up his own Psychic Friends Hotline. Crazy.
-I'm curious to see how the new NFL head coaching hires pan out next season. Rex Ryan will be under a tremendous amount of pressure to win with the Jets. I think Steve Spagnuolo will regret his decision to leave the Giants to take over the Rams. Jim Schwartz will provide the Lions with passion, if nothing else. Josh McDaniels, the 32-year old whiz kid taking over the Broncos, will be lambasted at the first sign of distress. And whoever takes over the Raiders will probably want to lay the smack down on Al Davis within his first 24 hours on the job.
-Congrats to Rickey Henderson & Jim Rice for being voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Their paths to Cooperstown couldn't be any more different. Henderson was a near-unanimous choice in his first year on the ballot. Rice barely got over the 75% requirement in this, his final year of eligibility. Remember, it doesn't matter how you got there as you long as you made it there in the end. If Herm Edwards were here he would say, "It doesn't matter...We're on the bus!"
-Finally, the Road to WrestleMania kicks into high gear this Sunday at the Royal Rumble. Predictions: Edge takes the WWE Title from Jeff Hardy. Cena defends his World Title against JBL. Melina becomes the new Women's Champion as Rosa Mendes interference backfires on Beth Phoenix. Matt Hardy regains the ECW Title from Jack Swagger. Triple H is forced to enter the Rumble at #1. The Undertaker is the last person eliminated. Orton wins the Rumble.
Until next week.
-Meech
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