This 69th edition of the mid-season showcase will stay closer to its origins, while paying a few days of (grudging) recognition to Toronto as centre of the hockey universe.
Postmedia talked to NHL Chief Content Officer Steve Mayer on Monday on a number of all-star topics.
PM: After the players were asked to put pucks through fountains in Las Vegas and a ‘splash shot’ in South Florida, how will this year’s ‘traditional’ event differ?
SM: “Once we decided to revamp and find who the true most skilled player is, we found bringing the fun, happy events outside the arena didn’t feel right.
“When you watch the events we’ll do, they are succinct, they really do test accuracy, passing, one-timers. They don’t have fluff to them. What we want to do is make it a little more real.
“I’m not saying we won’t go back to that (depending on the future host cities).”
PM: Did you actually consider anything Toronto-centric involving local landmarks?
SM: “We looked at doing something at the top of the CN Tower. But (determining a skills champion) is new and we want to make it right in lieu of those other things.
“Plus, those (off-site events) take time. When you go to Vegas Strip, to the Bellagio Fountain, to prepare and get permits for them takes a lot. We wanted to put that into what happens in (Scotiabank) Arena.”
PM: Was there a feeling this had to be a more traditional all-star game overall, given the location and hockey history here?
“Absolutely. This is an area that loves the game, their team and respects the game. Not that we never respected it when we did the skills. We just thought those events, which ended up getting great responses, were a little off the beaten path and now we’ve decided we wanted to stay on it.
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