Comments on: On the Dodge/NHL SuperSkills Competition http://onthewingsblog.com/2008/01/27/on-the-dodgenhl-superskills-competition/ by true Citizens of Hockeytown Tue, 02 Dec 2008 03:28:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Justin http://onthewingsblog.com/2008/01/27/on-the-dodgenhl-superskills-competition/#comment-55075 Justin Sun, 27 Jan 2008 20:12:53 +0000 http://onthewingsblog.com/2008/01/27/on-the-dodgenhl-superskills-competition/#comment-55075 The cameras CBC used were new this year. In previous years, they always showed the majority of the events from the same vantage points they use for regular games. I didn't really like following the breakaways/shootouts from behind the players - it made them hard to follow sometimes and see what they were doing. The cameras CBC used were new this year. In previous years, they always showed the majority of the events from the same vantage points they use for regular games. I didn’t really like following the breakaways/shootouts from behind the players - it made them hard to follow sometimes and see what they were doing.

]]> By: Brian http://onthewingsblog.com/2008/01/27/on-the-dodgenhl-superskills-competition/#comment-55065 Brian Sun, 27 Jan 2008 17:59:54 +0000 http://onthewingsblog.com/2008/01/27/on-the-dodgenhl-superskills-competition/#comment-55065 I'd like to add that if any player understood the point of the night and rose to the occasion, it was Ovechkin. He played to the crowd very well and did his best to salvage the Breakaway Challenge. Also, Manny Legace had some great quotes when they had him mic'd up, though some of the self-deprecating "I got lucky" lines got old (not a surprise with Manny). He did a good job of joking around though and it reminded me of what a Brett Hull or Jeremy Roenick would be like during an All Star Game if they were mic'd up. I’d like to add that if any player understood the point of the night and rose to the occasion, it was Ovechkin. He played to the crowd very well and did his best to salvage the Breakaway Challenge.

Also, Manny Legace had some great quotes when they had him mic’d up, though some of the self-deprecating “I got lucky” lines got old (not a surprise with Manny). He did a good job of joking around though and it reminded me of what a Brett Hull or Jeremy Roenick would be like during an All Star Game if they were mic’d up.

]]> By: Brian http://onthewingsblog.com/2008/01/27/on-the-dodgenhl-superskills-competition/#comment-55063 Brian Sun, 27 Jan 2008 17:41:00 +0000 http://onthewingsblog.com/2008/01/27/on-the-dodgenhl-superskills-competition/#comment-55063 Some comments on the much-awaited Breakaway Challenge: Basketball players practice dunking once they make their first slam dunk. I'm not convinced that NHLers spend as much time on doing trick shots and that could be part of why it didn't translate well. Also, the goaltenders missed the point of the event and were coming way out of the net and poke-checking the puck away during what was supposed to be a showcase of the shooters. It was very strange to watch. Does the NBA have defenders guarding the basket during their dunk contest, rejecting attempts? And what was the point of having a goaltender in net if Ovechkin's whiffing on a baseball-style shot and not scoring a goal got the biggest scores? If scoring the goals doesn't matter, then why have a goaltender in there? And some of the shooters missed the point of the event by doing conventional moves - the crowd booed them and again it was very strange and awkward to watch. I also thought it was embarrassing for the league when, in between Breakaway Challenge attempts, Versus showed a 9-year-old kid scoring on a spinorama lacrosse-style goal. And then they cut back to the Skills Competition, and Martin St. Louis can't deliver on the very same move. And he wasn't event close, either. I was expecting Datsyuk to do something special but he really crapped out. Matt, I agree about the relay event. The camera work was really sloppy and I didn't understand why it's a goaltender skill to shoot on an empty net. I'd rather see the goalies change out of their goaltender equipment and try scoring on each other or something, if they're looking for a spectacle. I like the accuracy competition, but maybe they could expand the number of targets or have the players skating around pylons as they shoot. Rarely does a player stand between the circles and line up a shot. The hardest shot competition is still my favorite. Some comments on the much-awaited Breakaway Challenge:

Basketball players practice dunking once they make their first slam dunk. I’m not convinced that NHLers spend as much time on doing trick shots and that could be part of why it didn’t translate well.

Also, the goaltenders missed the point of the event and were coming way out of the net and poke-checking the puck away during what was supposed to be a showcase of the shooters. It was very strange to watch. Does the NBA have defenders guarding the basket during their dunk contest, rejecting attempts? And what was the point of having a goaltender in net if Ovechkin’s whiffing on a baseball-style shot and not scoring a goal got the biggest scores? If scoring the goals doesn’t matter, then why have a goaltender in there? And some of the shooters missed the point of the event by doing conventional moves - the crowd booed them and again it was very strange and awkward to watch.

I also thought it was embarrassing for the league when, in between Breakaway Challenge attempts, Versus showed a 9-year-old kid scoring on a spinorama lacrosse-style goal. And then they cut back to the Skills Competition, and Martin St. Louis can’t deliver on the very same move. And he wasn’t event close, either. I was expecting Datsyuk to do something special but he really crapped out.

Matt, I agree about the relay event. The camera work was really sloppy and I didn’t understand why it’s a goaltender skill to shoot on an empty net. I’d rather see the goalies change out of their goaltender equipment and try scoring on each other or something, if they’re looking for a spectacle.

I like the accuracy competition, but maybe they could expand the number of targets or have the players skating around pylons as they shoot. Rarely does a player stand between the circles and line up a shot. The hardest shot competition is still my favorite.

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