Happy February. The NHL monthly preview normally runs today. Our NHL monthly preview comes out on February 5, the first day after the NHL All-Star Game break.
We normally ignore the NHL All-Star Game for a variety of reasons. For the first time since 2012, the NHL All-Star Game is on Canadian soil. The 2024 NHL All-Star Game is February 3 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. The 2012 game was in Kanata, outside Ottawa.
Here are some notable features about the 2024 NHL All-Star Game.
Introducing your #NHLAllStar Game captains! 🫡
— NHL (@NHL) January 21, 2024
Don't miss the 2024 #NHLAllStar Weekend from February 1st-3rd on @espn, @ESPNPlus, @Sportsnet, and @TVASports! pic.twitter.com/EEhOGJHmg8
Each team gets NHL players and a Canadian celebrity as captains. Justin Bieber is a slam dunk. Michael Bublé is a strong choice. Will Arnett is a big hockey fan. Tate McRae is new to me.
If I were picking Canadian celebrities in this fashion, I might have gone with Jared Keeso, Simu Liu, The Weeknd, and Emily Hampshire. This is why they don't rely on my opinions.
The teams have 2 Canadian captains among the players with Connor McDavid and Nathan McKinnon as well as American captains Auston Matthews (Maple Leafs) and the Hughes brothers, Quinn (Canucks) and Jack.
NHL the month in preview January 2024
Generally from 1947 to 1968, the All-Star Game format was the previous season's Stanley Cup champions against all-stars from the other teams. The modern All-Star Game format started in 1969 with Wales (eastern) and Campbell (western) all-stars.
Under the old format, Montréal hosted 8 previous All-Star Games and Toronto hosted 7 All-Star Games.
| NHL All-Star Games in Canada under the modern format |
|||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Arena | City | Host total | ||||||||||||||
| 1969 | Montréal Forum | Montréal | 9 | ||||||||||||||
| 1975 | Montréal Forum | Montréal | 10 | ||||||||||||||
| 1977 | Pacific Coliseum | Vancouver | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| 1985 | Olympic Saddledome | Calgary | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| 1989 | Northlands Coliseum | Edmonton | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| 1993 | Montréal Forum | Montréal | 11 | ||||||||||||||
| 1998 | General Motors Place | Vancouver | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| 2000 | Air Canada Centre | Toronto | 8 | ||||||||||||||
| 2009 | Bell Centre | Montréal | 12 | ||||||||||||||
| 2012 | Scotiabank Place | Kanata/Ottawa | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| 2024 | Scotiabank Arena | Toronto | 9 | ||||||||||||||
Both Vancouver arenas have had an All-Star Game. The new Toronto arena will now have 2 games while the Bell Centre has had 1. Calgary and Edmonton have had an All-Star Game but not since Gary Bettman became the commissioner. Winnipeg has never hosted a NHL All-Star Game.
CanadianCrossing.com NHL coverage
The NHL All-Star Skills will take place February 2 while the NHL All-Star Game will be held on February 3.
Rogers Sportsnet will carry the Thursday festivities in Canada while ESPN and ESPN+ will broadcast the event in the U.S.
CBC and Sportsnet will have the Skills Competition and All-Star Game in English and on TVA Sports in French. ESPN has the Skills Competition and ABC has the All-Star Game in the United States. Both events will also stream live in the U.S. on ESPN+.
Our NHL month in preview for February will run on February 5, when the season resumes.
photo credit: NHL
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