Another player withdraws from the All-Star Game due to injury, his replacement proves the game no longer matters

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Josh tupper
January 30, 2023 (3:10 PM)

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The NHL All-Star Game is supposed to feature the NHL's biggest and brightest stars to fans. There was a time when only the best players were selected to play, but that is no longer the case. Over the last couple of years the NHL has opted for a more inclusive ASG setup, where players from every team are selected to represent their organizations.

This concept by the NHL is a simple ploy for every fan base to have the option to buy an ASG jersey with one of their team's players on it. While a great marketing scheme, it does little to showcase the best talent in the league. Last week Toronto Maple Leafs' forward, Auston Matthews announced he'd be missing the game and he was replaced by the Florida Panther's captain, Sasha Barkov. While Barkov is a great player, he is far from the next best possible candidate.

Today it was announced that Seattle forward, Matty Beniers would also miss the ASG. Beniers suffered an apparent concussion after a late hit by Tyler Myers of the Vancouver Canucks. With Beniers departure, the league has opted to replace him with Vegas Golden Knights' Chandler Stephenson.

The choice to add Stephenson is a surprising one, as he currently sits behind multiple eligible candidates in points. This selection seems to be a matter of not wanting to dilute the roster with Edmonton Oilers, because both Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman both appear to be far better candidates. While Timo Meier, of the Sharks also would have been a more logical choice.

This is just another example of the NHL losing fan interest in the ASG, which has already lost a ton of fanfare over the years. But this is Gary Bettman's NHL.