The chill of the arena, the sound of the skate blades and the roar of the crowd heralds the start of the NHL All Star Game. The best of the best NHL players come together every year to show off their skills and give fans a mid-season dream matchup
The National Hockey League introduced the All Star Game in 1947. This event raises money to benefit retired players by adding to the pension fund. It originally acted as a season opener and pits the Stanley Cup winners from the previous season against other top-performing players. The All-Star Game shifted to the middle of the season in the 1960s, which helped maintain interest and excitement in the sport. The next significant transformation took place in 1970, when the format changed from a single game into a three-part series. Not only that, but fans could finally vote on the players they thought deserved a spot on the teams. The audience participation brought a lot of positive attention to the game. The 1990s brought two additional elements to the 2016 NHL All Star Game. A skills competition shows off the technical abilities of the All Star players with a wide range of events. The NHL also added another game to the lineup, called the Heroes of Hockey, where famous retired players put on their skates for another go around the rink.
Before 1970, the players in the All Star Game came from the United States and Canada. A change in the NHL's division structure moved this onto the international stage, with the Soviet Union coming in for a thrilling NHL All Star Game. Later events took an East-versus-West approach with the player selection, which allows a wide range of talent to make their way to this game.
The NHL All Star Game is breathtaking, and more excitement awaits with other hockey tickets and winter sports.