NHL All-Star Game 3-on-3 format should produce Hollywood ending
LOS ANGELES — When it was announced a year ago that Los Angeles would host the 2017 NHL All-Star Game, Luc Robitaille was confident things would work out.
The Hall of Famer and president of business operations for the Los Angeles Kings knew the league was instituting a format change, and after having seen several versions fail over the years, Robitaille thought the latest venture — 3-on-3 tournament hockey for three periods — would have fans engaged and players motivated.
“I was a big proponent for 3-on-3,” Robitaille said. “Guys are athletes, and it was a way to make things competitive without getting people hurt. I thought with it being wide open and emphasizing the skills of the players, the fans would enjoy it.”
His instincts proved correct. The NHL had its best All-Star Game in years, as the Pacific Division defeated the Atlantic 1-0 in the championship while the sellout crowd at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena roared its approval.
Wisely not messing with a good thing, the NHL has brought back the 3-on-3 tournament format for Sunday’s game at Staples Center. And while there’s no added intrigue of journeyman forward John Scott having a Hollywood ending by being on the winning team and garnering Most Valuable Player honors after the league initially denied him a spot because he was in the minor leagues, Robitaille is confident this year’s game will provide its own intrigue, heroes and storylines.
It’s all about winning,” he said. “These guys are ultracompetitive. They want to win.”
The fact that the winning team gets $1 million doesn’t hurt.
“Yeah, a million bucks can produce a lot of incentive,” Robitaille said with a laugh.
The host Kings have two representatives on the Pacific Division — defenseman Drew Doughty and forward Jeff Carter. But this has been a two-year project for the organization, from putting in the bid, to securing it, to executing the game plan for a successful weekend that includes Hollywood celebrities and music stars to support what happens on the ice.
“There’s some stress in putting something of this magnitude on,” Robitaille said. “But the NHL was a huge help, and we’re ready. It’s been great to work together with the league on this, and it’s going to be a huge success.”
It’s little wonder Golden Knights owner Bill Foley looks forward to the day when Las Vegas hosts All-Star Weekend. He said part of the agreement for the NHL expanding to Las Vegas was the opportunity to host the event.
“We’re not bidding on next year (2018),” Foley said. “But I think within six years you’ll see Las Vegas host the All-Star Game.
“We have a fabulous arena (T-Mobile Arena). We have a great city with first-class entertainment and all the hotel space you could want.”
Robitaille concurred.
“It’s a place that fans and players love to come to,” he said. “It’s a fantastic building, and I have no doubt the All-Star Weekend would be a huge success in Las Vegas.”
Foley, who tentatively plans to attend Sunday’s game, said while the All-Star Weekend would be a great get for Las Vegas, he has his eye on something bigger — the World Cup of Hockey.
“It would be like hosting the Olympics,” he said of the best-on-best tournament the NHL and its Players Association ran late last September and early October in Toronto. “Las Vegas is an international city, and I can see fans from Sweden, from Russia, from all over the world coming to support their teams. It would be a great way to kick-start the hockey season.”
Contact Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow @stevecarprj on Twitter.
