S75 All Star Week

S75 All Star Week Due: Sunday, March 31st @ 11:59 PM PST

Valpix
IIHF Federation Head
IIHF GM

#125

03-27-2024, 12:47 AM

Code:
1. Milestones, up to 3 TPE.

Milestones are folded in with All-Star Week.

Link your Milestone claim as task 1 for up to 3 TPE towards your 8 total.

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Post your claim in the milestones thread for tpe earned per stat, and then link that post in your ASW submission. This is done because the person who grades ASW will be a different person than double-checks milestones.

+2 TPE

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[code]2. Written, up to 4 TPE - Shiny Grab Bag: Pick up to 4 topics related to the All Star Game to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.

a. Before last players are picked Edmonton is the only team that has 4 players selected for the game. Among those only defensive pairing from a single team Isaac Forty-One and Emil Egli. They both were traded to new teams this offseason. Would you let them play one more time with each other or would you highlight them with their new teammates Dirty Boots and Brandan Laroux who also made it to the game?

b. Inferno and Panthers got to send two forwards each, Shōyō Hinata and Binko Koivu from Atlanta and Adam Prpich and Derek Martin from Los Angeles. Would you let them show of their chemistry and potentially dominate the game by letting them play on the same line or is All-Star game prime opportunity for them to show their creativity and skill even when playing with other top players?

c. Should the starting goaltender be the one who arguably had better season? Or as the stakes aren't as high as usually would you think it is better to offer the experience for the goalie who has had less appearances? Or maybe honor the one who has had more? Who should start and why?

d. Aleksandr Iskandrov and Wide Peepo Happy 3 Koivu get to play on their home arena as Hamilton is hosting the event this season. Does it matter more for the fans or the players that they get to play in front of home crowd?

a. The All-Star Game is a for-fun game, there will be plenty of time for Forty-One and Egli to develop chemistry with their new teammates in camp. Let them play together one last time. Sentimentality is a huge part of All-Star Games - how many aging vets get voted in in their final season in real life?
b. Like I said. All-Star Games are for fun, and the main novelty (and one of the few defenses nowadays as they get worse and worse) of them is seeing stars from different teams playing together. It's not like either have been traded like Forty-One/Egli so there's no sentimental value, nor are any of them retiring.
c. Honestly? Leave it up to the fans to decide who's starting, because that's who these games are supposed to be for. If the fans want to see the workhorse, let them. If the fans want to see the better player who doesn't play as much, let them. If the ASG doesn't cater to its fans, who is it for?
d. It's more important for the fans, I keep banging this drum but it's the truth (and I want my TPE dammit). In real life, players almost dread the All-Star Game unless you got ballot stuffed in or it's like, your first time. We all saw that viral video of Bjorkstrand. It does hit a bit more for the players that it's at home, but it means more to the fans.

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4. Written, 2 TPE, Participation Trophy (100 words min.)

Currently every team gets to send at least one player to the All-Star game. Are this seasons selections good in terms of team variety? Would you prefer more even selection from all of the teams or more focus to be put on individual performances despite the teams they represent? Do you think it is important for each team to get representation?

I genuinely don't believe it's important to get every team participating in the All-Star Game and I sure as *hell* don't think we need *more* pity nominees. Take for example, Montreal, who's been so bad in recent years that I think most good J teams could probably beat them uncapped and would still give them a game capped. Do we really need Damien Hirano this year or Dick Clapper last year as "All-Stars"? Instead of much better players on teams that are actually serious? They have as many All-Stars as *WINS*. That's pretty daft if we're being honest. I don't care about variety, I care about merit.