Bettman enforces all-star commitments via suspension

I've got no problem with him enforcing a rule. It's his job. Its hard to say what he would do about Gretzky, but since he's doing it to his little pet Crosby.....it's safe to say that the Great One would miss a game as well.

Ludicrous. I'd tell him to eat Dung and die.

504Heater wrote:Ludicrous. I'd tell him to eat Dung and die.

What? everyone Wing Dang Doodle about him treating stars differently than the rest of the players. Now that he enforces a rule, he's told to eat Dung and die?

The fact you have to force players to go to this waste of ice is jsut added to the joke of the NHL all-star game.

I wasnt going to watch to begin with, it doesnt even matter who goes. I def have better things to do than watch glorified pond hockey, especially with player I have no interest in seeing. IE the Montreal Canadians.

Datsyuk and Lidstrom suspended one game for bowing out of the All-Star Game.

Wow.

So they show up, dress, and then go back to the dressing room after the anthem. or they go out for a 2 second shift, then go to the dressing room.

Problem solved. Bettman takes one that he can't do a damn thing about. And worse, other players complain that they were at higher risk because of a problem that Bettman created.

Olympics and WJ's are optional, why shouldn't the All-Star game be?

A player can refuse to be selected to represent their country at the WC or Olympic games, and a team has the right to refuse to release their young players to the WJC's. The All-Star game is a fun, yet meaningless extra game that could result in an injury to a player. If a team loses one of their best players for a pointless game, they'd be pretty upset. This is also a well deserved break for some people to perhaps relax, rest up, and spend time with loved ones.

The voting format is a problem. First, we have seen how out of control it can get with bias (Montreal) or practical jokes (Fitzpatrick). One solution would be to send one player from each team, whether the team decides, or you send top scorer or whatever.