Improving the All-Star Game

Tonight's (Mar. 10) segment was one of Don's best. I couldn't agree with you more on Kaberle - he was another one admiring his pass and taking a skate. How could he not be aware of the player - what is he looking at? The equipment - yes you are right on. Showing the clip from Brett Hall - how better to get the point across. Yes the game has changed but it is still the NHL. Keep up the greta work, Don - somebody has to say it and - who better?

I think for the all star game we should go back to the winner of the stanley cup playing a group of all stars from other teams.Just keep up the good work Ron and Don, Some people I know only watch coaches corner not the hockey game, They find you guys just great and I have to agree.

Ron,

The All-Star game definitely needs an overhaul and the method to do it is by creating a mini tournament featuring a small team from each division. A four-on four tournament, with each game being two twenty minute periods. On day one of the tournament, there are two interconference round robins with the winner going to the only game for day two.
This way, more players actually get to play in the tournament, but the players have to earn their way to the final game. It gives the NHL more potential TV revenue and the oportunity to return the mid-season spectacle to a full weekend blitz.
That's my take.

Boy Don, you and Maclean are both wrong about the hit on Kaberle. To try to partially blame ANY of that hit on Kaberle is ridiculous. Janssen took about a 3-4 second run at hime after he passed the puck. How is Kaberle supposed to even expect something like that? Kaberle is one of the best skaters (head always UP) in the league. Don/Ron I like a good fight as much as the next guy but this was an act of pure stupidity with Kaberle in no way being at fault.

I just wanted to say thank you for the amazing tribute you did for the 5 boys that we miss so much. it is a great way to honour them because they were everyones hockey boys

Dear CBC Sports,
After watching your broadcast of the Sens Leafs game this past saturday, it's hard to believe that you guys have been doing Hockey Night in Canada for 50+ years because it sure doesn't look like it. First thing first. I know hockey is a fast game, but maybe you should get a camera man that can actually follow the play. I can't count the number of times the puck would be down at the other end of the ice and the camera is showing us nothing. And when Fisher hit the post and the refs went upstairs, why couldn't you show us the camera angle from above the net? We know you have it, why couldn't you just show the viewers? Instead you showed us the same angle (which didn't prove anyhting) 5 times while huey & dewey blabberd on. That brings me to my next point. Let's get some new commentators, these guys are brutal. Raycroft is in blue, Emery is in red and white...I didn't think it was that complicated. I especially liked the comment after Raycroft accidently high-sticked Eaves in the 1st period, "That wasn't high sticking because he was following through." Hockey Night in Canada is supposed to a legacy towards Canadian hockey. As a loyal viewer and passionate fan I am embarrased with your product. I think Ron is the only one keeping it together.

When is the league going to wise up to the no-touch icing rule that has already been in place in the OHL for many years now? Most of the younger player's coming into the league now are already used to this rule, it would only take a few moments to change the rule and player's would welcome it. To skate your butt off just to touch a puck and risk injury is ludicrous and painful to watch. No-touch quickens the pace so much, it helps the game immensely. I'd sooner watch junior hockey in this respect. Get with it NHL, this rule is long over due for change. Keep calling those stick infractions and holding calls. I'll bet there are a whole lot less stiches going into the players faces because of these calls. Keep it up! Clutching and grabbing only slows down the game and stick infractions should be dealt with punitive actions immediately making the player's more responsible and accountable for their stick work.

I agree with Glen, ref the comments on how grapes is so pro upper Canada. He should step outside the box and have a look around because obviously he doesn't see it. This is a Canadian game, not Kingston, On's game! Crosby,may or may not be the next one, but right now he is proving that he could be, and he has the stats to show it. Buck up Grapes, and give the kid the credit he is due at the moment. As for Jordon S., do you think he'll hit 100+ points? I don't think so, but there are alot of other rookies flying around the league that could use some sunshine!

Don over the years i've agreed with you on most issues, but on the no touch icing thing i will say this. " If some of these Tangle Foots " don't have enough sense to approach the puck at the boards on the turn then they deserve what they get. If the backchecking player takes their feet out or pushes them into the boards from behind it's a penalty,simple as that.
Lets not pussyify the game and more!
Frankly i'm tired ot the phantom penalties and the Americanization of the game.

Thank you for addressing our boys. We miss them deeply every single day. The entire community was affected by this loss, and for you to mention them- they would have been proud.

Thank you,
May they all rest in peace.

You wish you could say things maybe about the All star game or the state of the game, but who will listen to me you ask? Then Don says it as if he was actually speaking for me. I have been watching hockey since the six game league and no one but no one says it like "Grapes" somes times he is actually the best thing on Hockey Night in Canada. Keep it up Don you speak the truth. "Nobody Does it Better"

Cec

Don Cherry is so pro ontario it is makes me sick, he is a bit of a racists, the things he says about Quebecers and the Europeons, he thinks Canada ends at the Ontario-Quebec border. And what is this total dislike for Sid the kid, we as maritimers at last have a true hocky hero and Don the grumpy old man totaly ignores him and when he does acknowledge him it is always to run him down. Act your age Don ! Because Sidney acts much more mature @ 19 than you in your 70's
for the record i am not related to Sisney although i have the same last name.

Putting the Don Cherry segment on the site is a great idea, how about also putting up the 'Hot Stoves' and other commentaries and analysis segments?

All is much appreciated, Thanks, Tom

Don,

You are a great hockey ambassador for Eastern Canada, you didn't even talk about Vancouver's eight game winning streak and you admire guys who play with an injury, what about Roberto Luongo of the Vancouver Canucks when he suffered a bruise near his throat, went to a Montreal hospital and was on IV and played the following day against Montreal and got a shutout !!!!!!!!!!! What do you say about that ?

Don, Thank You so very much for all you do from the heart to help people and to help tha game of hockey. It is too bad there are not more real people like you. You have the highest respect of everyone, please do not EVER change,you are the best!!

Actually, trying to improve the all-Star game is an exercise much like pushing rope uphill.
This "event" is a glitter attempt to draw viewers and then presents something very "unlike" an actual game. It's a bore fest and I just pass it up because it is so
uninteresting and un-game like.

I'm tired of Cherry's Ontario man crush on every player to skate from central Canada to the NHL.

Hey Grapes,

I'm a huge fan... I think if the NHL inherits baseballs home field advantage strategy for the World Series this would make the All Star game much more exciting. This would mean the winning conference would have home ice advantage in the cup finals. And change the selection process so we can get some of these young superstars in the big game.

I agree a prize has to be given in the All star game. I have heard this idea and think it is doable. Have all teams contribute $100,000 at the start of the season. This total prize would be shared just by the winning team. The losing team gets nothing!

I WANT TO SAY THAT DON CHERRY IS RIGHT ON EVERYTHING HE TALKS ABOUT. I HAVE NEVER WATCHED SOMETHING OF HIS AND DISAGREED WITH HIM.

MR. CHERRY

IF U READ THIS I THINK YOU SHOULD DO A STORY ON WOJTEK WOLSKI...U PROBALLY KNOW HE IS A YOUNG KID OUT OF TORONTO AND HE IS DOING AN AMAZING JOB IN COLORADO

Why does the All-star game have to all offense, there should be roles for best defensive forward, best defensive defenseman, penalty killers, best body-checkers, etc. this would make it a more realistic game and the scores wouldn't be like a football game. I am sure the goalies would love it.

Don, Keep up the honesty in your commentary, your word is like gold.

I don't think there's anything yu can do to make the All Star game more interesting. If players played hard and someone got hurt blocking a shot or hitting someone, the owners, coaches and fans of their team would lose it! This isn't supposed to be a close game - it's just for fun.
On another note, why play it on Wednesday night? A Saturday and/or Sunday with no NFL football would be better. Imagine a football audience used to watching TV on Sunday afternoons with nothing to watch but hockey - it might attract some more fans in the US.

Thank you for the kind words for those young men from Meaford & Thornbury area. Their families must be in great pain suffering such a loss. Having them reconized by Don must mean a lot to those families. I could not imagine losing one of my children, it is bad enough that I lost my Mother to Cancer last October. The resaon for my comment is beacuse I grew up in Meaford and played minor hockey there and attended the same high school as those boys. The community must be devistated my heart goes out to all that have been impacted from that tragetity.

Don and Ron I have met both of you guys over the years and thank you for the kind words and the time on Coach's Corner. Those boys must be smiling from Heaven above knowing you took the time to reconize them.

Andy

After watching this clip of Coachs Corner, my jaw just dropped. A measly $5000 to make NHLers perform. As if it were the playoffs?

I'm not making this up. Watch it again.

"Gary...(Bettman)...give'm $5000......and I guarantee you, it'd be Stanley Cup playoffs" - Don Cherry.

He kind of mumbles and speaks in half sentences under his breath - like he always does - but that's why we love'm right?

I think todays millionaire players are a problem.

Don Cherry is obviously part of that problem.

Thanks for the touching tribute to our 5 boys who lost their lives in that horrific crash. It has been a tough week for the families of these fantastic boys and everyone in the community who knew them. Seeing this tribute on National television adds to the pride the parents should feel about the greatness of their boys and is an excellent testament to the job the parents have done in raising their families.

the winning team in the all star game gets to donate a large sum of money put up by the NHL to a childrens hospital. they all like kids.

Thank you so much i know our boys would have loved to see your tribute to them . They were all such amazing hockey players . There hockey abilities live throughout everyone here thank you so much.!!

Hey Don!
The past few weeks, at the Student Residence at Durham College and University of Ontario, we have been shovelling and flooding the pond with buckets of water, and going out and playing pond hockey. We average normally have about 20 person hockey games with full shifts on one half of the rink. On the other side of the rink, we dedicated that for just normal skating without sticks and pucks. Today, school security forced us off the rink claiming it was unsafe. They threatened to salt it down as well if continue to play on the pond. The nearest ice surface we could play at other then that is a fair walk away and costs students to play. Do you have any suggestions?

Hey Ron,

It was great meeting you in person at the All Star Game. I'm the one who said I was 'formerly from Toronto'. I agree with Grapes, if the players had something to play for the game would be more exciting and we'll see hits. Sure the goals are good but like the YoungStars game it looks like its all for show. I was at the Dallas vs Pittsburgh game and Jordan Staal played like a complete player.

Saturday night, Don was once again ignoring Crosby and playing up Jordan Stall. He asked what big star ever blocks shots? Well, Don, Crosby did just last week - on the CBC national broadcast playing against the Leafs. Check the tape.

Thank you so much for mentioning the boys that were killed. They will be dearly missed in this town and nobody will ever forget them. They were really really great guys and we'll always love and remember them Thanks so much Don.

The NHL isn't worth watching anymore!
The hitting is gone, you just touch a guy and falls like he was in PeeWee. There's no passion anymore.

I think that mentioning those 5 boys that were killed in the car accident was amazing. I didn't know any of them, and i can't even imagine what their friends and family are going through right now, it is so tragic. But for you guys to talk about them on coaches corner is wonderful! They would be so happy to know that you did that for them.

Hi, Everyone up here in Collingwood, Meaford and the surrounding areas would like to thank you with our full hearts for doing this last night for the 5 boys. They would have loved for this to happen. We are very thankful for you making time last night to make sure you did this tribute towards them. Everyone made sure they watched last night to see this tribute on tv, even though it was only a minute it meant a lot for people in the communities up here.
Thank you

Grapes is the best...He tells it like it is but has a soft, compassionate side for those who make the game great! Thank God for Don Cherry!

Thank you for honoring our beautiful boys. They really were the best of the best. Thank you Don and Ron. Please pray for our community of wonderful young people and our grieving town. with thanks Cathy Lancey

Forget about Winnipeg, Bring Sidney Crosbey Home. How sweet would it be to have the Cole Harbour Penguins. This kid is the future of the NHL, and if that doesn't sell tickets in Atlantic Canada nothing will. BRING SIDNEY HOME!!!!
Thanks to Ron for thinking of us.
Shawn Patriquin
Hockeyville N.S.