The First All Star / Benefit game 1934
The NHL did not begin All-Star games until 1947 but prior to this the NHL held an All-Star Benefit game to raise money for a player injured so badly during a game he never played again prompting the Leafs to retire their first uniform number.
The game itself was spectacular considering the reason for it and the NHL had designed a specific sweater to be worn for the game, commemorative jackets and medals were awarded and passed out by the injured player and even to the player that injured him.
Sadly the injured player was rejected by the NHL to become a linesman, happily he was Head Coach of the University of Toronto hockey team, then became the timekeeper at the Leafs home games and in 1947 he did the first official NHL All-Star game.
The NHL has used a number of formats for the All-Star game originally pitting a collection of All-Stars to play the previous season’s Stanley Cup champions beginning in 1947 it worked until 1950 when poor attendance brought about change.
In 1951 and 1952 the NHL had First Team and Second Team of players then switched back to the original format of a collection of players to play the Stanley Cup champions which was the norm until 1969 when the NHL went to East and West Division teams.
The East/West format only lasted until 1974 when the NHL made a name change the following season to a more prolific and honorary team names with the Wales Conference and Campbell Conference.
But for some reason still unclear the NHL obliterated tradition and went generic with Eastern/Western Conferences which lasted three years before the NHL thought to go with team North America versus team World format for five seasons.
Then in 2003 they reverted back to Eastern/Western Conferences but just until 2009 because then the NHL thought it was a good idea to start naming the All-Star teams after their Captains resulting in no less than six different player named teams for three seasons.
Fortunately the NHL saw the error of their ways, sort of, now we have bland division named All-Star teams where you do not get to see the best of the best but at least one player from each team no matter what statistics are compiled.
From the time I was in my mid-teens during the 1970s until my early 30s the NHL All-Star games have been entertaining contests between talented players, now it seems to have morphed into a politically correct holiday weekend for the players that participate and time off for players not invited.
Buffalo Winter 
Interesting read, thanks Buffalo Winter. I remember his name without even looking it up–Ace Bailey.
Plenty of changes over the years, for better or worst. I imagine one of the overriding considerations these days regarding decision-making relating to the All-Star Weekend are what will generate the most revenues whatever city is hosting. Plus, over time, the prize money awarded to players has increased substantially.
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I could have written so much more about this subject, the history as each season passes and adds to it, pretty cool to me.
You knew that I was writing about Ace? Kudos, so you never have to attend a Hockey 101 course ever again, in fact you could teach the course.
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Haha. Funny, With my poor memory it probably wouldn’t hurt if I had a refresher course once a year, at the start of every new NHL season.
It is a subject that I can imagine you saying much more about. To be honest, I appreciate how brief your blog articles tend to be and how they are always interspersed with graphics.
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