The 2012 NHL All-Star Weekend Wrap Up

Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.

The 2011-2012 NHL season is already half over and the All-Star game is the definitive half way point of the season. While most players in the National Hockey League spent a few days somewhere warm are now flying back from their brief vacation, there were a few lucky, and very talented players spending their mini vacation in Ottawa at the All-Star game this last weekend. With the event being 4 days long a lot happened. Below are some of the things I enjoyed most.

• Pavel Datsyuk getting drafted 1st overall by Team Chara
• The Sedin twins trying to set up home town hero Daniel Alfredsson like crazy so he could compete for the MVP of the game
• Great to hear some players mic’ed up for the game and hear their take on events happening during the game and other things going on

Pavs

I’ve always been a huge fan of Pavel Datsyuk so I was thrilled he went first overall out of all the amazing players waiting to get drafted. Pavs is the man so congratulations to him.

Daniel Alfredsson

The Sedins are incredible play makers and they were showing off their skills in trying to feed fellow Swedish countryman Daniel Alfredsson. Alfie was the hometown here and I think everyone was cheering for him and hoping he would get Most Valuable Player award in front of his home fans. At one point when he had 2 goals and the game was nearing the end, Alfie was on the ice for the last 4 minutes or so. That would never happen in a regular season game. As the seconds counted down, everyone on his team was looking for him and wanting him to get the hattrick. Unfortunately it didn’t happen but it was great to see how unselfish these pros are.

Hartnell Down

I’m a huge fan of the 24/7 Road to the Winter Classic shows HBO puts on leading up to the Winter Classic because they have players mic’ed up so it was easy for me to pick my favorite moment this past weekend. All-Stars Joffrey Lupul and Scott Hartnell were mic’ed up during the game. Not only were they talking on the bench, but they were chatting and talking as they were playing the game. It’s great to get they players insight on what’s happening on the ice. I always wonder what players say to each other during games. Of course the All-Star game was a lot more PG then a regular season game would be but great to hear none the less. At one moment during the game, Lupul was chirping Hartnell at a faceoff and it was pretty funny.

Some people think events like this are a waste of time and money or are just plain stupid. I disagree because it gives you a chance to learn a players personality. You see them play and you know what kind of player they are but you don’t know what kind of person they are. My roommate and I were never huge Scotty Hartnell fans but after hearing him talk during the game and learning how he gives money to charity, we have both become fans. Hartnell has a charity called Hartnell Down and everytime he falls to the ice, he donates a thousand dollars every times he hits the ice with anything other then his skate blades. What a great idea.

Funny moment during the game, Hartnell’s Philadelphia Flyers teammate and All-star line mate Claude Giroux was mic’ed up for a bit and because he knows of Hartnell’s charity, he at one point during the game was actually trying to trip Hartsy and they were on the same team! Haha. Too funny.

Watch Claude Giroux try to make Hartnell donate to Hartnell Down charity

Next year’s All-Star event is in Columbus next year. Looking forward to it.