Why Vancouver Should Host the 2021 All-Star Game

Picture this… The year is 2021: Google Cars have taken the streets by swarm; Arnold Schwarzenegger is one year into his first term as President of the United States of America; the McRib is back again, for reasons that escape me. Oh, and the NHL All-Star game is returning to the city of Vancouver!

The NHL loves to go to specific places for specific circumstances for the NHL All-Star game. In 2017, they are heading to Los Angeles to celebrate their 50th anniversary, so why not head to the Pacific Northwest in 2021 to celebrate the Canucks? 

The Canucks would be in the midst of their 50th anniversary season, celebrating a golden anniversary by bringing back former Canuck legends like Harold Druken and Lubomir Vaic. Who knows, maybe the Canucks land Steven Stamkos in free agency and he’s the main draw from the hosting franchise.

Since introducing the 3-on-3 round robin tournament less than a week ago, the NHL has taken the sports world by storm as having the best All-Star game of the “Big Four” professional leagues in North America. Although I’m not really sure that’s saying much. 

Besides, it’s not like the Canucks as a franchise are new to throwing parties in and around Rogers Arena. The “Party on the Plaza” campaign was very popular for Canucks fans during the cup run (riot be damned) and newer buildings, like the Vancouver Convention Centre, could host some of the smaller events and function as a great meet and greet venue between the players and fans. 

The city itself has proven on multiple occasions its willingness to host these kinds of events, too. Robson Square has been shut down in the past to cars and turned into a hub for fans. During the Olympics, for one example, it was the core of the party. Not to mention, there’s a nice ice rink there that could play host to any number of events, like the Mascot Showdown and other fan fest events.

The All-Star game is, if nothing else, a great opportunity to bring the greatest players to your city all at the same time. Given that the Canucks youth movement is just starting to find its stride, it’s not out of the question that some of the crown jewels from this movement will be leading Vancouver back into contention as star players in their own right. 

There are any number of reasons why Vancouver would make a great host city to the best of the continent’s four All-Star games. I haven’t even begun to touch on some of the selfish elements to Vancouver hosting. I mean, just imagine the draw of this city to impending UFA’s. A week or so in Vancouver and I can’t imagine how you wouldn’t want to come back. It’s not nothing, right?