[News] Flames announce Gaudreau WILL play in ASG

[PaperBagger'14]

I'm sure the Sedin's invites got lost in the mail.

[Hugh Jahrmes]

Originally Posted by Dion

TJ Brodie should have been picked.

I'm just glad Gio made it; something tells me Brodie will have a few invites before he hangs em up

[Fire]

Originally Posted by BigRed

Hudler deserved some consideration

I doubt it's bothering him. If I was him I would rather have the time off.

[Muta]

Girgensons?

Can't believe fans are allowed to vote for players, and therefore corrupt, the all-star game.

Although I suppose it serves the NHL right for giving the fans any kind of actual power.

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by Muta

Girgensons?

Can't believe fans are allowed to vote for players, and therefore corrupt, the all-star game.

Although I suppose it serves the NHL right for giving the fans any kind of actual power.

Corrupt the all-star game? Who cares, it's an exhibition game for kids, that's basically it.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by corporatejay

Corrupt the all-star game? Who cares, it's an exhibition game for kids, that's basically it.

No doubt. It's not like it is a sacred institution or anything. It is probably a great advertising tool for the NHL, but as a hockey fan, I find it to be a waste of time and would rather watch a regular season game between any 2 teams than watch an all-star exhibition game that that has no grit or emotion.

Having said that, the fact so many fans vote sarcastically is reason enough to just ignore players that get votes for that reason. The NHL should just use some common sense.

[Stay Golden]

Fantastic news for Gio and Johnny.
Brodie should have been selected also his stats in everyway are better than 90% of the D men going.

[Lumby Lager]

This is great and well deserved by both. I have not tuned in to this game in years and I now have a reason for watching

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Having said that, the fact so many fans vote sarcastically is reason enough to just ignore players that get votes for that reason.

If Girgenson is one of the players you are talking about, he didn't receive his votes sarcastically. More than 80% of the Latvian born player votes did come from Latvia though.

And given the stipulation that all teams had to be represented, the All-Star game was going to see an unworthy Sabre player anyways so if not Girgenson maybe someone like Ennis.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Dion

TJ Brodie should have been picked.

With every team needing at least one player, and given the calibre of the defencemen who were picked, I find it hard to make any argument against the decisions that were made.

Hudler would have been a deserving participant as well, but we're not a playoff team right now, so 1 + 1 is probably a reasonable result.

[HotHotHeat]

The winter classic and outdoor series games makes the Allstar game expendable. It's a waste of what could otherwise be a great hockey game filled weekend. Haven't watched in years, won't this year.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by corporatejay

Corrupt the all-star game? Who cares, it's an exhibition game for kids, that's basically it.

Does Girgensons qualify to play amongst the best in the league right now? No, and that's my point. Why have an all-star game if the best players aren't playing? You might not personally like the game, but lots of other hockey fans do.

Don't really care if its a meaningless game one bit either, my point still stands.

[jonesy]

I don't mind the fans voting, but being allowing unlimited votes per person ruins it. Iassume it is next to impossible to enforce if you said one vote per person.

[TheDebaser]

Originally Posted by Muta

Does Girgensons qualify to play amongst the best in the league right now? No, and that's my point. Why have an all-star game if the best players aren't playing? You might not personally like the game, but lots of other hockey fans do.

Don't really care if its a meaningless game one bit either, my point still stands.

The all start game is a tribute to the fans imo, if the slovaks care so much about Girgensons playing the game, and it will make a lot of people happy, I don't see anything wrong with his inclusion. I actually love that such a small country is rallying around one of their own and taking a big interest in hockey.

[monkeyman]

Originally Posted by Muta

Does Girgensons qualify to play amongst the best in the league right now? No, and that's my point. Why have an all-star game if the best players aren't playing? You might not personally like the game, but lots of other hockey fans do.

Don't really care if its a meaningless game one bit either, my point still stands.

Agreed. It's too bad, because the All Star game gives fans from East and West an opportunity to see/learn about great players they might otherwise never care about. Fan voting does nothing but promote the players fans already know about, or as evident this year, players egregiously voted in. It's a lost opportunity for the NHL.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by monkeyman

Agreed. It's too bad, because the All Star game gives fans from East and West an opportunity to see/learn about great players they might otherwise never care about. Fan voting does nothing but promote the players fans already know about, or as evident this year, players egregiously voted in. It's a lost opportunity for the NHL.

FWIW, Girgensons is someone I would say most people "otherwise never care about", so by your criteria, is a good pick. (Case in point, the post above that called him Slovakian. He's Latvian) Kane, Toews, Keith and Seabrook are all all-star calibre players, so that makes the only potentially "egregious" choice to be Crawford.

Are we really going to get so upset because Crawford made it ahead of someone like... Quick?

[Miniac]

Well deserved!

[BigBrodieFan]

Yay!! Congrats to Johnny and Gio!!

[RyZ]

Justin Faulk and Erik Johnson over Subban, Brodie and Karlsson is pretty laughable.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by RyZ

Justin Faulk and Erik Johnson over Subban, Brodie and Karlsson is pretty laughable.

Who do you replace since those 2 are their only team reps?