TORONTO -- Brendan Shanahan can picture himself standing among his peers, waiting to be chosen for an all-star team.
"I'd probably (notice) each and every single player that went ahead of me in the draft," says the former NHL star. "And I'd probably carry that out into the game with me."
In his role as an NHL executive, Shanahan has worked with the NHL Players' Association to revamp this season's all-star game format. The players have been handed the power and will select the two captains who will then pick the teams that will face off on all-star weekend in Carolina.
It replaces the old conference-versus-conference format and has the potential to create some interesting storylines.
Shanahan, the man behind the makeover, believes the changes will add some spice to a stale event. "The intention is to make this a show," the former eight-time all-star said during a conference call Wednesday. "I think the players that have heard about this concept think it's fun. They're interested to see how the draft shakes down.
I actually really like the idea and I can't wait to see how it works out.
Thoughts?