As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the NHL announcedThursday the postponement of the 2021 All-Star Weekend and its annual showcase of the league's best and brightest stars.
Originally scheduled forJan. 29-30, 2021, the All-Star Weekend and, therefore, theAll-Star Gamehave been pushed back to 2022.The announcement also noted the 2021 Winter Cla sic, the NHL's annual outdoor game to ring in the New Year, has also been pushed back a year.
Parnell Motley JerseysBecause of the uncertainty as to when we will be able to welcome our fans back to our games, we felt that the prudent decision at this time was to postpone these celebrations until 2022 when our fans should be able to enjoy and celebrate these tentpole events in-person, as they were always intended," Steve Mayer, NHL senior executive vice president and chief content officer, said in a leaguestatement.
"We are also considering several new and creative events that will allow our John Penisini Jerseys fans to engage with our games and teams during this upcoming season, Mayer added.
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While the NHL did not state that teams that lost 2021 events would host their respective 2022 events, it did ensure that the marquee events would return to these locales in the "near future."
The NHL's announcement also stre sed that the wasstill on target to occur. As commi sioner Gary Bettman said , "It's conceivable that we start without fans, that we move to socially distant fans at some point and by some point in time, maybe, ourbuildings are open. . . .How we start doesn't nece sarily mean that's how we have to finish."
Here's everything you need to know about the 2021 All-Star Weekend's postponement.
Where was the 2021All-Star Weekendsupposed to be held?The yearly event that marks the approximate midway KhaDarel Hodge Jerseys point of the NHL season was scheduled to take place at BBTCenter in Sunrise, Fla., and be hosted by the Florida Panthers.
"We are excited to bring the NHLs midseason showcase for the best and brightest stars from around the League tothe home of the Florida Panthers and South Florida hockey fans," Bettman said in announcingthe 2021 event. "Next years Honda NHL All-Star Weekend promises to be an incredible celebration of our game and everything South Florida has to offer.
"The Florida Panthers are thrilled to welcome hockey fans from around the world to South Florida for NHL All-Star Weekend," Panthers president and CEOMatt Caldwell said last January. "This is one of the leagues premier events of the year and we couldnt be more proud to have it in our backyard."
The Panthers organization hosted the event at the same arena in 2003, although the building wasthen named the Office Depot Center. That weekend included the YoungStars Game (the Capitals'Brian Sutherby was named Most Valuable Player), a skills competition (of note, Al MacInnis won the hardest shot competition at age 39, registering 98.9 mph) and the Thrashers' Scott Daly Jerseys Dany Heatley was named All-Star GameMVP with four goals despite the Western Conference winning in a shootout.
What events are usually held during All-Star Weekend?The NHL's All-Star Weekend brings together the sport's best and brightest stars for myriad events over the course of three days. Last year's event took place in St. Louis and showcased the annual skills competition along with a new event a 3-on-3women's scrimmage that pitted the best U.S.and Canadian players against each other.The NHL also gave back to the local community over the course of the weekend.
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The weekend culminated with the All-Star Ryan McCollum Jerseys Game on Saturday night, with the Pacific Division skatingaway victorious. The winning team included Oilers teammates Connor McDavid and 2020 Hart Trophy winner Leon Draisaitl, the Flames' Mark Giordano, David Rittich and Matthew Tkachuk,and then-Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom, who signed with the Flames as a free agent this offseason.
During his annual pre s conference at the event, Bettman hinted that things could have looked a little different in 2021."We are in discu sions with the Players A sociation about giving a distinct international flavor to next year's All-Star Game," he said.
Is the game canceled or postponed?The NHL used the term "postponed" in its statement regarding the 2021 weekend; however, it did say that "we felt that the prudent decision at this time was to postpone these celebrations until 2022." Technically, then, the event is postponed to Nick Williams Jerseys 2022, which is when another All-Star Weekendwould have, in theory, taken place anyway.
Last 10 All-Star GamesThe last time an All-Star Weekend did not occur wasin 2014; that was due to the NHL's involvement in the Winter Olympics. It was also skipped in 2013 (lockout), 2010 (Olympics), 2006 (Olympics) and2005 (lockout).
When the game was canceled in 2013, it was scheduled to take place in Columbus, whichdid hold the event in 2015. Atlanta was supposed to hold the event in 2005 and eventually hosted in 2008; Dallas served as the locale in 2007.
YearHost teamArenaWInnerMVP2020St. Louis BluesEnterprise CenterPacific DivisionDavid Pastrnak2019San Jose SharksSAP CenterMetropolitan DivisionSidney Crosby2018Tampa Bay LightningAmalie ArenaPacific DivisionBrock Boeser2017Los Angles KingsStapes CenterMetropolitan DivisionWayne Simmonds2016Nashville PredatorsBridgestone ArenaPacific DivisionJohn Scott2015Columbus Blue JacketsNationwide ArenaTeam ToewsRyan Johansen2012Ottawa SenatorsScotiabank PlaceTeam CharaMarian Gaborik2011Carolina HurricanesRBC CenterTeam LidstromPatrick Sharp2009Montreal CanadiensBell CentreEastern ConferenceAlexei Kovalev2008Atlanta ThrashersPhilips ArenaEastern ConferenceEric Staal
