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5 Reasons Why NHL’s All-Star Game is the Best in Sports

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5 Reasons Why NHL's All-Star Game is the Best in Sports

Zdeno Chara
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It's difficult to get excited about the All-Star games in the four major North American sports, but if I had to pick the best one, it'd have to be the NHL All-Star game. Here are five reasons why.

5. Skills Competition

Sean Couturier
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5. Skills Competition

Sean Couturier
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I know it's not quite the All-Star game, but the skills competition the night before is probably the best part of the weekend. It allows the game's best to show just how talented and skilled they are with a stick in their hand, and it also gives the players a chance to connect to the crowd.

4. Best Players Show Up

NHL All-Star
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4. Best Players Show Up

NHL All-Star
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Unlike the NFL's Pro Bowl, which rarely has the best players at each position play, the NHL All-Star Game routinely has the best players in the world play, mainly because the NHL has rules in place to prevent players from skipping it. The game is meant for the fans, and having the best players in the world playing consistently is key.

3. International Flavor

NHL All-Star Game
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3. International Flavor

NHL All-Star Game
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One of the best things about the NHL All-Star game is that hockey is truly an international game. It's very rare that you get the entire country of Latvia to back one of their own to get him in to the game. Not only are these players playing for their NHL teams, but they are playing for their countries.

2. Not Necessarily Popularity Contest

NHL All-Star Game
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2. Not Necessarily Popularity Contest

NHL All-Star Game
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Most All-Star games are a popularity contest, and in some ways, the NHL's game is too, but it's not always. For example, in this year's game, there are 19 first-time participants in the game. Players who rarely get to enter the spotlight get their chance this weekend.

1. Innovation

Fantasy Draft
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1. Innovation

Fantasy Draft
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The NHL realized that they needed to make their All-Star game more exciting, so what did they do? They installed a fantasy draft, captained by current players. This format has been adopted by the NFL. Also, the NHL just announced this year that they will be installing GoPro cameras on the players during the skills competition and possibly the game. That's a great way to give fans a first-hand experience of what the players are looking at.

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