Carolina All-Star Game Jersey Unveiled

Once again, it's time for me to put on my critic hat and analyze the newest design for the game jerseys that will be worn in the upcoming all-star game in the RBC Center in Raleigh, NC. Most likely, the NHL and Reebok has a lot of money in marketing tied into this new product, it's necessary to look at this from a consumer point of view.

"You've got the ultimate fantasy draft and what's shaping up as an exciting All-Star weekend," he said. "The Winter and Heritage Classic have more of a vintage theme while the All-Star Game is more futuristic. The new uniforms have a futuristic design and look to them.

"Our events are getting bigger in scale. It's like having a 31st team in the NHL, and [sales] do quite well depending on the market."

The fist question that should be answered is "Would I buy it?" or more specifically, "Would I spend the retail price to own one?" That answer for me is no. Right away, it looks like something that would not spark a "gotta have it" response from me. (But then again this is the same first impression that I got from the Penguins Winter Classic jersey and it feels like I am softening from that stance as well.) Perhaps, the fans as a whole would likely buy them up at the sports stores and merchandise kiosks now installed in most hockey arenas. It would be interesting to see the sales figures in the Carolinas as to how many hockey fans there in the triangle would buy one out of civic duty knowing that this all-star game featured their host city festivities and hospitality.

Ascetically, I don't enjoy the Edge cut at all and when I see this jersey, I am surprised that it does not take on the style of the host city like the other all-star host locations have. Minnesota used green, Montreal made sure to use their bleu-blanc-rouge with Stanley Cup years on them, but having this jersey blue strikes me as an odd choice as they ignore the red and black Hurricanes motif. It's not even styled the same horizontally.

The designated home team will wear white jerseys, helmets and socks, with red trim. The opposing team will have dark blue jerseys, helmets and socks with royal blue trim.

So, it will be a new futuristic look for the all-stars as the switch over to a new "fantasy draft" format begins to go in a new direction - something that the other sports leagues have not done yet.

"We think the stripes reflect the new NHL," Keith Leach, Reebok's director of merchandising, said Monday. "The NHL game is faster, speedier, more fluid and in constant motion, and we wanted a more aggressive design."

The swoosh lines are going up the sleeve instead of going around it also suggests that they want the jerseys to look slimmer. Something I don't want. However, I am sure somebody in hockey fandom will purchase them.

[Via: Charlotte News Observer

NHL Promotes Radical Changes for 2011 All Star Game Format

The NHL has adopted a strange new format for the upcoming 2011 All-Star Game. Instead of the traditional East vs West pairings or even the North America vs World format, there will be two team captains dubbed with the responsibility to draft the all-star players on two teams. This would be certainly showing their hand as they are surely going to promote yet again a "Team Crosby" versus "Team Ovechkin". Granted, the hype and talk that this will generate will undoubtedly work in the NHL's favor with the promising rewards of high TV ratings, but at what cost with this anger a fanbase who's support through the lean times was tested like no other?

Under the new format, two captains per team will select the remaining all-stars in any order they choose. Those teams will compete in the all-star game and skills competition.

At the risk of sounding immature, this is a ridiculously idiotic idea cooked up by a fraternity of athletes who's only goal is to promote themselves disregarding the greater good of the league, the team franchises, as well as the century old game that the fans have a deep passion for.

NHL vice-president Brendan Shanahan says the goal is to "make the game more fun for everyone" and to "inject more excitement and intrigue into all the events.

So, if this new format is to help include the interest of hockey's big name stars, who admittedly seek out excuses to not attend all-star games in the past, then where is the true reward for the fans who want to see their favorite athletes play against a combination of the best the league has to offer.

Suppose the teams were dived up where popular players on one team would suit up for the opposing team thus destroying rooting interest. Suppose "Team Ovechkin" decides to draft Geno Malkin onto his all-stars. That would cause fans in Pittsburgh to divide their rooting interests! Pittsburgh fans want to support both Crosby and Malkin - on the same all-star team.

This decision is beyond stupid and I hope that the NHL fan base can rise up and proclaim mutual disgust.

[Via: Rogers Sportsnet]

Yea! Finally A Trade!

This hockey season has been thus far uneventful for the blockbuster trade, so ANY trade that happens is big news. The Ottawa Senators, who are holding on to a top ranking in the Eastern Conference, is bringing in two key players from the 2006-07 Stanley Cup to get them over the hump and to the promised land of hockey greatness.

Mike Commodore, a fan favorite in both Calgary and Carolina, came to national recognition after starting the trend of wearing white terrycloth bathrobes. He hits big and scores big from the blueline. Stillman is an aging and often injure-prone forward, but still has a scoring touch. This looks like a real good change of pace for the Sens, which many message board fans quickly judged this a huge steal for Bryan Murray. But what did good 'ol "JR", Jim Rutherford think of his end of the deal?

"We're very happy to address one of our needs, making our defence more mobile and adding a player like Joe that can play on the power play," Rutherford told The Canadian Press. "Also, we view Patrick as a real character player, a real good young player that can fit into our style of play.

The Canes were playing inconsistent and underachieving for a team one year removed from the Stanley Cup. Maybe this makes Carolina a better team when something clearly wasn't working.

As for me, I am glad there is a trade to talk about. Whoopie!

[Via: TSN.ca]

First Post!

Okay.. as much as it disappoints me to do this, but I guess it's a good reason to start using this online journal.

As the first official entry to this Hockey journal, I will use this to congratulate Ronnie Francis and the Hartford Whal... 'er I mean Carolina Hurricanes for becoming the Eastern Conference champions last night. They defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in yet again an overtime game.

This is the first trip to the Stanley Cup in their franchise's history. (Even back when they played in Hartford). Somehow, I don't think they can match up pound for pound against the Western Conference heavyweights. Either Detroit or Colorado will pick them apart!

Sorry, Carolina fans.