News & Observer columnist Luke DeCock has covered six NHL All-Star Games: 2001 (Denver), 2002 (Los Angeles), 2003 (Sunrise, Fla.), 2004 (St. Paul, Minn.), 2007 (Dallas) and 2008 (Atlanta).
The five favorite things he's looking forward to seeing when the NHL's All-Star Game comes to Raleigh:
I can take or leave the Saturday open practice, the YoungStars Game and most of the SuperSkills competition, but the two most traditional skills events are still pretty fun to watch: the fastest skater and hardest shot competitions.
It's worth being in the building just to see those. And if the breakaway talent show, any of the other skills events or the YoungStars Game turn out to be compelling, it's an added bonus.
The SuperSkills competition's breakaway challenge.
Held the night before the All-Star Game, it has had some growing pains, but when it's done right the breakaway challenge should be the NHL's version of the slam-dunk contest.
In this event, a panel of judges evaluate shooters, who can start their routine from anywhere in the offensive zone, on their creativity, execution and ability to score.
It didn't go so well in Atlanta in 2008, but the reviews from last year's version in Montreal were better, in large part because of Alex Ovechkin hamming it up. In its third go-round, there's the best chance for a memorable moment or two, especially if players really get into the spirit.
The scene.
When the NHL Draft is in town, there's the potential to run into Wayne Gretzky or Mario Lemieux, but the All-Star Game also drops 50 of the game's biggest stars into the neighborhood for a long weekend. The only place you'll find more big-name NHL players is Las Vegas during the Olympic break.
And if you've got the pull to get into one of the NHL's parties, you can get some of the money you've spent on Hurricanes tickets over the years back in complimentary drinks and hors d'oeuvres.
The game itself.
True, the hockey isn't exactly playoff caliber, and not every player is committed to giving his full effort - Pavel Bure left the bench in the middle of the 2001 All-Star Game to go home early - but there are usually enough razzle-dazzle passes and pinpoint shots to elicit a sufficient amount of oohs and aahs from the crowd.
If nothing else, it does remind you how skilled these players really are (and why the crackdown on clutching and grabbing coming out of the lockout was so important).
Home-ice advantage.
Because fans pick only the starters, and the league picks the other players, the NHL usually makes sure there are a couple of players from the host team in the All-Star Game and one in the YoungStars Game as well. (Hurricanes fans can assume two-time All-Star Eric Staal to be a mortal lock for the festivities.)
Nothing is as popular at an All-Star Game as a goal by someone from the home team.
