NHL All Star Game

[HooverDam]

So I was thinking today about how the 'Yotes lost the 2006 NHL All Star game due to the lockout, and was wondering if it had been announced yet if they'd get it again soon. According to Wikipedia Montreal will host this years game, there won't be a game in 2010 (due to the Olympics) and then its up in the air.

Personally I hope the Coyotes organization goes after the 2012 game. That would line up w/ Arizona's Centennial year and thus kind of become a bigger event, as they're planning lots of big stuff for that year. Then I got to thinking, maybe instead of having the game at Jobing.com Arena, they could have it at UofP. I think it would be awesome to have 60K fans at a hockey game in the desert, they could even open the roof right before the game begins, that would make for an awesome atmosphere.

Ive always thought the Valley was an event and party town, we always seem to throw a good party even when normal support for a team may not be great (due to a largely non native population w/ old loyalties), and I think making the NHL All Star game into a mega event like this would bring a lot more attention to hockey than its normally afforded in the Valley.

So, I guess I'm asking for your thoughts: 1. does Phx/Glendale have a reasonable shot to host the NHL game in 2012 (and should they wait until 12 instead of going for 11) and 2. would you like to see the game at UofP?

 

[howlincoyote2k1]

A) go for 2011, we got screwed out of the 2009 game. Freaking Habs, probably the most spoiled team in pro sports behind the Yankees.
B) Just have it at the Job.

 

[Scott MS]

I would think that the Coyotes should have a shot at hosting the game. I would guarantee that a lot of All-Stars would love to come to Phoenix in February and play golf. Can't be that fun traveling to Montreal or Minnesota in February.

 

[HooverDam]

A) go for 2011, we got screwed out of the 2009 game. Freaking Habs, probably the most spoiled team in pro sports behind the Yankees.
B) Just have it at the Job.

Any reasoning on either of your points? It seems like you're against making it a bigger, more publicized event for some reason.

 

[Desert Rat]

It's the Candiens' 100th season, there was no way they were not going to get the All-Star Game. 2010 is the Olympics. 2011 is the next available and I want to see it then before we get screwed out of another one. The current CBA expires in the summer of 2011, so let's get this in before another potential labor problem pushes it back again.
Having it at the Cardinals stadium is an interesting idea. Jobing.com Arena has a hard enough time maintaining a decent ice surface, building a temporary makeshift one in the football stadium is doable, but I guarantee the surface would not survive. They would have to super-chill that massive building and remember, it can get into the 70s in January. Nobody wants the best players in the NHL to showcase themselves an environment where the ice can be almost an endangerment to the players. There were ice problems in the Winter Classic, of all games, I can only imagine what would happen here. And besides, there would be a remote chance that an NFC playoff game would be taking place there in a future January.

 

[Yotesfan85044]

http://www.rds.ca/hockey/chroniques/267677.html

Looks like we got the 2011 All-Star Game.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

http://www.rds.ca/hockey/chroniques/267677.html

Looks like we got the 2011 All-Star Game.

Tres bien!

 

[HooverDam]

Bah 2012 would've been cooler, align it with the Centennial!

 

[chickenhead]

I think it was a no-brainer that Montreal got the game this year, and even though I'm already a fan, I think the job they did with it was second-to-none. I don't know how spoiled the fans actually are these days, though. Top free agents basically never sign in Montreal, and last year was the first real hope for the Cup in over a decade. I moved there for a few years just before Roy was traded to Colorado...things were not so good for a while. In any case, I think they're more like the Packers than the Yankees.

As for the Coyotes and Arizona's centennial, considering Gretzky is running the show, maybe the 99th year isn't so bad!

 

[IAWarnerFan]

Was McNabb at this year's all star game?

 

[MigratingOsprey]

Phoenix has lost the 2011 all star game - the NHL reopened bidding due to the financial issues and awarded the game to Raleigh last night

very disapointing news - not sure if this shows a lack of confidence that a deal will get done on behalf of the league, but if the team is here next year I don't see why you wouldn't want to put a showcase event in a city that thrives on big events to help further promote the game, the new ownership and the recent success of the franchise ..... keep some momentum rolling .... not to mention have another bargaining chip for the COG