Switch from fantasy draft to new setup of 3-on-3 games featuring divisional teams is the newest evolution for the exhibition event.
Since inception in 1947, the NHL All Star Game has seen a multitude of evolutions, each trying to freshen up and retain relevancy for an exhibition game featuring the league's best players.
The latest change to the game format was broken by TSN on their Insider Trading segment that confirmed Darren Dreger's earlier reports with the likely new format presented by Bob McKenzie, and a potential later alteration provided by Pierre LeBrun. The nuts and bolts:
- The Fantasy Draft format is no more
- Instead of two teams, the four divisions will have squads of 9-10 skaters plus goalies that will compete in three-on-three mini games
- There will be three 20 minute mini games, with the Pacific facing the Central, and Metropolitan facing Atlantic.