For once, NHL All-Star Weekend was what it needed to be: Fun

TORONTO, Ont. – That was certainly something, wasn’t it?

Look: the NHL All-Star Game isn’t for everyone. If you’re not in person, experiencing everything the host city has to offer, it’s rough. It’s easy to just skip it, forget it and move on.

But for those in the City of Toronto this week, you felt the buzz. The celebrity appearances. The crowded restaurants and bars for four nights straight. The special events at famous Toronto landmarks.

NHL All-Star Weekend is about celebrating local culture and having fun, on and off the ice. It doesn’t matter who wins. Nobody remembers who lost. It might be rough to watch on television, but just like with the Winter Classic, where the ice isn’t always up to par, the people in attendance seemed to enjoy it.

The celebrities helped keep things fun. Justin Bieber gave the game some international attention, especially with the jerseys he helped design. His energy was truly amazing on Saturday, and that’s what you want from your high-profile, high-cost celebrity talent. Will Arnett was hilarious any time someone gave him a mic. Tate McRae helped expose the game to new fans, and her intermission concert keep people talking.

But nothing beats Mushroom Buble. That’s an all-time great move.

Everywhere you went, the city was all-in on the fun. The buy-in – sponsor-related or not – was as good as I’ve ever seen for a major NHL event in recent times. It felt like a party all week long – a celebration of a game we all love.

The players had nothing but good things to say about the event – often looking at it favorably compared to previous years. The NHL really got this one right.

The hardcore fans likely won’t care in the slightest, but the Saturday attendance was listed as a sellout. The Saturday crowd was great, and the draft and PWHL showcase drew a huge crowd. Yeah, the draft was rough, but it was also inexpensive entertainment for people just looking to have a night out.

The fan fest seemed popular, with the grand opening drawing a lineup that spanned two blocks. Beyond the long waits, it seemed like fans liked them, with player meet-and-greet access being quite significant. It cost money, but it didn’t seem to be an issue filling the place.

And then there’s the actual on-ice components. The skills competition was a nice breath of fresh air after some brutal attempts over the past few years. And, hey: the best player in the world won. From a marketing perspective, that’s huge. No stupid gimmicks, nothing pretaped at a golf course, no stickhandling through a construction site. The players tried, too.

As for the three games on Saturday… the pace was to be expected. Like, let’s be real: everyone was out partying last night. There was no cash prize like on Friday so it was all for fun. Connor McDavid had the nerve to say the first game was more defensive than usual after his group allowed five breakaways in one frame.

The final was fitting. McDavid vs. Matthews – two of the best players in the game, with a heavy hometown flavor. The pace sped up, the creativity was solid, and both teams seemed to have a good time out there. It wasn’t good hockey, but it was entertaining – at least compared to the rest of the night.

In the end – whether he deserved it or not – Matthews took home MVP honors. Not sure who Matthews had to pay off for that to happen, but, hey, it’s all in good fun.

This was easily one of the best all-star games in quite some time. Flawed? Sure.

And that’s the point. NHL All-Star Weekend isn’t to be taken seriously. The players are having a good time together, enjoy the city and making the most of a few days away from home to hang out with the best of the best. It’s not a vacation, but it’s not really work to them, either. A giveaway isn’t going to hurt your team’s season. Goaltending doesn’t matter. It’s all about enjoying the festivities.

If you were in downtown Toronto this week, you probably had a good time.