Media reviews were mixed, but for the most part
positive, to the NHL's All-Star Game Sunday in Vancouver,
which pitted the North American All-Stars against The World
All-Stars. In Vancouver, Iain MacIntyre wrote that while
"hockey's mid-season showcase was looking like a slick,
over-hyped, marketing device ... a real hockey game broke
out at GM Place" (VANCOUVER SUN, 1/19). In Edmonton, Terry
Jones called the format "a great new trick." Jones: "Even
if it is the same game in a new wrapper, it's a nice new
wrapper" (EDMONTON SUN, 1/19). In Montreal, Jack Todd wrote
the new format "has promise" (GAZETTE, 1/19). In DC, Rachel
Alexander wrote that "most players seemed pleased with the
game's new format," but that the 18,422 fans in attendance
"seemed less enthusiastic at times, however" (WASHINGTON
POST, 1/19). In Toronto, Alan Adams called the new format
"a keeper" (TORONTO STAR, 1/19). In Seattle, Elliott Almond
wrote under the header "NHL Wins Big With New All-Star Game
Format" (SEATTLE TIMES, 1/19). AP's Mike Nadel wrote under
the headline "New All-Star Format Breathes New Life Into
Game" (AP/DETROIT NEWS, 1/17). In Philadelphia, Les Bowen
wrote "this was probably about as good as the All-Star Game
gets, which is saying very little" (DAILY NEWS, 1/19).
CONS: In Houston, Bill Sullivan wrote "in truth, the
NHL can be better than this. While the experimental format
may have spiced things up a bit in some ways, this was All-
Star stuff at its most predictable" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE,
1/19). In Calgary, Mark Miller wrote the new format "did
not break with tradition, producing a game without contact
that bordered on pond hockey. If this was intended to be a
showcase for the Olympics, it was for figure skating"
(CALGARY SUN, 1/19). In Toronto, Jim Taylor writes under
the header "Holy Snoozer, Bettman!" (TORONTO SUN, 1/20).
