From fights to fluff, a history of the NHL All-Star Game

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From one of the most violent incidents in the NHL’s early history of rogue behaviour came the inspiration for today’s celebration of skill and scoring.

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The all-star game concept, making its ninth official stop in Toronto on Saturday, was created 90 years ago as a gesture of closure after Eddie Shore’s career-ending hit on Maple Leafs defenceman Ace Bailey.

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In a regular-season match played on Dec. 12, 1933, at Boston Garden, the scrappy Shore was angry after an unpenalized trip by King Clancy. Either on purpose or mistaking Bailey for Clancy — or, as he also claimed, trying to rush out of the zone to avoid an offside without looking — Shore ran an unsuspecting Bailey with full force.

“Ace was hurled into a backwards somersault and landed on his head with a crack heard around the rink,” Leaf radio broadcaster Foster Hewitt recalled years later.

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Bailey’s teammate Red Horner, a rough customer himself, slugged Shore and caused the Bruin a head injury, but Bailey had a fractured skull that required life-saving surgery. After Shore was suspended for 16 games and advised he’d get little money through legal action, it was decided to stage a benefit game Feb. 14 for Bailey at Maple Leaf Gardens — the Leafs against select stars from the other eight teams in the league at the time.

Toronto wore blue sweaters with “Ace” on the front with their logo; the opposition, including Shore, wore white with “NHL” and a single star patch.

The crowd of 14,000 was hushed during the pre-game ceremony as Shore skated to Bailey and extended his hand.

“It was pretty dramatic,” Hewitt said. “(But) Bailey gripped it, both smiled and the crowd went mad with cheering.”

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Similar benefits when Montreal Canadiens stars Howie Morenz and Babe Siebert died off the ice were organized until the all-star game became a general player fundraiser in 1947.

The game has since evolved from an October fixture pitting Stanley Cup champions against the stars to East versus West divisions, Campbell versus Wales conferences, North American-born players taking on the world’s best and now four teams picked by captains playing 3-on-3 mini-matches in the “dark” week on the sports calendar before the Super Bowl.

“It’s very strategic,” said NHL vice-president and chief content officer Steve Mayer of the timing. “There’s so much out there (in sports), you’re always competing against something. Having football set aside a week helps for sure.”

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While prize money increased to $1 million for the winning team and now this year the same handsome reward for the new overall skills winner, penalties slowed to a trickle, then disappeared completely. Stickwork, roughing and even fighting were once a lively part of the evening, especially in the champs-versus-selects era

“With only six teams, that game still meant a lot,” six-time Cup winner Dick Duff told the Sun in a previous interview. “You played each other 14 times a season, so there were lots of intense rivalries, certainly no love lost between the Leafs, Canadiens and Red Wings. The boss team who’d won the Cup had some arrogance and if on the other side, you wanted to beat them.

“We all played that all-star game tough, but none of the real cuckoo stuff.”

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In the second gathering in 1948 at Chicago Stadium, a young Gordie Howe was in one of the bouts that dotted the event until expansion, taking on Toronto’s Gus Mortson. Even gentlemanly Red Kelly once dropped his gloves. In 1968 at the Gardens, the last game before East versus West was adopted, Howe speared Mike Walton of the defending-champion Leafs, who threw a punch and both received minors.

Now it’s goaltenders who have it hardest, their defencemen mostly stepping out of the way of hard shots and loathe to hit anyone.

“I don’t expect full-contact karate out there, but I do expect the odd stick check,” all-star coach Dave King once mused of the niceties.

Others will just enjoy watching the best in the business excelling in the game’s purest form.

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SOME MEMORABLE ALL-STAR GAMES:

Oct. 13, 1947, Maple Leaf Gardens: In the first official contest, Toronto opened defence of what would be three straight Cups by beating a team mostly comprised of players the media had chosen for first and second all-star teams.

Oct. 9, 1951, MLG: With Detroit’s domination of the Cup and first all-star team, an experiment saw the second all-star team enhanced by American players to give the game an international flavour. Two low-scoring, tied games in a row ended that idea.

Oct. 6, 1962, MLG: Eddie Shack won the first ASG MVP award as the Leafs had a four-goal first period against Montreal’s Jacques Plante, Toronto’s first victory in four ASGs.

Jan. 18, 1967, Montreal Forum: The game was moved to mid-season to avoid the World Series and football. In the Habs’ 3-0 win, Charlie Hodge and Gary Bauman combined on the first shutout in ASG history.

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Jan. 16, 1968, MLG: The last champs-versus-selects ASG, won 4-3 by the Leafs, but tragically Minnesota North Star Bill Masterton had died two days earlier from a head injury. Toronto’s Brian Conacher wore a helmet, a rarity then.

Jan. 20, 1970, St. Louis Arena: A western team hosted for the first time as mid-season selections replaced end-of-year all-star teams.

Jan. 30, 1973, Madison Square Garden: The tradition of a new car presented to the MVP began, won by Pittsburgh’s Greg Polis for his two-goal game.

Jan. 21, 1975, Montreal Forum: Pittsburgh’s Syl Apps Jr. became the first son of an ASG player to follow his father (Syl Sr. of the Leafs) and was MVP.

Feb. 5, 1980, Joe Louis Arena: Cheered wildly in his one-time NHL city, Howe became the oldest player to appear in an ASG at age 51 for the Hartford Whalers, playing in his 23rd and final time, while Wayne Gretzky appeared in his first.

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Feb. 9, 1982, Capital Center in Washington: U.S. president Ronald Reagan hosted a reception for the stars.

Feb. 12, 1985, Calgary Saddledome: Fan voting had been adopted as Mario Lemieux became the first rookie to win MVP.

Feb. 4, 1986, Hartford Civic Center: Mike Bossy set up Bryan Trottier for the first ASG overtime goal, 4-3 Wales over Campbell.

Feb. 9, 1988, St. Louis Arena: Lemieux had six points and the OT winner for the Wales team.

Jan. 19, 1991, Chicago Stadium: With the Madhouse on Madison rocking from a show of U.S. patriotism in the just-declared Gulf War, Toronto’s Vince Damphousse had four goals.

Feb. 6, 1993, Montreal Forum: Late substitution Mike Gartner of the Rangers won the fastest skater competition amid the growing popularity of the skills competition, then won MVP. Al Iafrate set a long-time record for hardest shot, while the goals reached a record 24 (16-6 Wales).

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Jan. 18, 1998, GM Place in Vancouver: In the first North America-against-the-world format, the “home” team prevailed 8-7.

Feb. 6, 2000, Air Canada Centre: The official retirement of Gretzky’s No. 99 jersey by all teams preceded Pavel and Valeri Bure becoming the first ASG brothers to combine on a goal since Maurice and Henri Richard, getting six points in all in a 9-4 World win.

Feb. 2, 2003, Office Depot Center in Sunrise, Fla.: Now at 30 teams, the league went back to conference ASG play. Atlanta’s Dany Heatley won it for the East in a shootout.

Jan. 25, 2009, Bell Centre in Montreal: Preceded by a Young Stars game of rookies, Alexander Ovechkin and Alexei Kovalev scored in a shootout for a 12-11 East win.

Jan. 30, 2011, RBC Center in Raleigh, N.C.: Captains had begun to “draft” teams, but Nick Lidstrom and Eric Staal kept looking past Toronto’s Phil Kessel, while Ovechkin filmed Phil’s unease sitting alone. But as the last man taken, Kessel got a new car and $20,000 for a charitable donation.

Jan. 16, 2016, Bridgestone Arena in Nashville: Four divisional teams now made up a 3-on-3 mini-tournament. Enforcer John Scott of the Coyotes made it in as a late fan vote and was MVP as the Pacific Division beat the Atlantic 1-0 in the final.

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