Elite League director of hockey Andy French has told skysports.com that the All Star game will return for the 2009/10 season.
New format promised to involve fans
Elite League director of hockey Andy French has told
skysports.com that the All Star game will return for the 2009/10 season.
After successfully staging last year's event at the Coventry Skydome in February, the EIHL have confirmed that the event will be back, but at a different venue.
It will be held at Ice Sheffield on Wednesday January 27 and French has stated that it will feature a different coaching line-up to last season.
"We've determined the coaches for the All Star game by selecting the coach of the team that wins the league, obviously if he comes back each year, and the coach who wins the playoffs," French told
skysports.com.
"That's how we pick the coaches, but Sheffield won both so then it goes to the runners up of the play-offs. It's always the league and the play-off coaches. This year it will be Dave Matsos and Corey Neilson."
Hockeyfest
Last year Matsos' Northern All Stars were beaten 12-10 by Paul Thompson's Southern All Stars. Matsos and Thompson chose players to join their rosters in the weeks leading up the event, but this year French has hinted that the selection process maybe altered.
"I don't want to disclose too much at this time, but there will be a new format to the All Star game this year, which will involve the fans," French said.
That could mean that the North/South format is changed and that fans will have a more active role in deciding which players are selected to the game.
Confirmation of the return of the All Star game gives the Elite League three big events throughout the hockey year.
"We are starting with the 20/20 Hockeyfest in October," French added.
"We have got a very well orchestrated event at the end of the year with the play-off finals. And we have got the All Star game event in the middle of the year."
