Well it is that time of year again.  The mid point of the hockey season where the various league hold their annual all-star games.  There has been a lot of discussion in recent years about whether leagues should continue to hold their all-star games.  As a hockey fan, the all-star games are pretty fun to watch.  With the addition of the skills competition I really enjoy the all-star festivities.

If we look at the NHL, the games themselves can sometimes be snoozers but there have been some great moments in all-star game history.  Here is a list of our favorite all-star games moments.

Top 10 NHL All-Star Game Moments

1. Owen Nolan Called Shot – 1997 NHL All Star Game.  One of the all time great goals.  Owen Nolan, then playing for the San Jose Sharks walks in, points and calls his shot and scores his hat trick goal on Dominik Hasek.  It doesn’t get any better than this.
   
2. Wayne Gretzky 4 Goals in the third period – During the 1983 all-star game hosted by the New York Islanders, in just under 13 minutes, Wayne Gretzky scored four third period goals to steal MVP honors away from goaltender John Garrett.
3. 1980 NHL All-Star Game Gordie Howe Returns to Detroit – Gordie Howe playing in his final NHL season with the Hartford Whalers returned to Detroit to play in the 1980 all-star game.  Howe would get an assist on a third period goal from Quebec’s Real Cloutier where the Wales Conference team bested the Campbell Conference by a score of 6-3.
4. 2011 All-Star captains Eric Staal and Nick Lidstrom pick teams – in a fun little move, just like when we were kids the two captains pick teams for the All-Star game.  Jokes were made as Toronto’s Phil Kessel ends up being the last player picked.
5. 1989 All-Star Game in Edmonton – Wayne Gretzky returns to Edmonton for the first time as a Los Angeles King and wins MVP honors in a 9-5 win for the Campbell Conference. 
6. 1965 All-Star Game:  Gordie Howe MVP – the game played in Montreal saw Gordie How tally 2 goals and 2 assists to earn MVP honors.
7. Finnish Flash at 1998 All-Star Game in Vancouver – Temmu Selanne scored a hat trick to earn MVP honors at the 48th annual NHL all-star game becoming the first European player to be named All-Star M.V.P.
8. Heatley scores five points in shootout loss – in the 2002-03 all-star game in Florida, Dany Heatley scored four times and added an assist in a 6-5 shootout loss to the Western Conference.  Heatley was named MVP.
9. The 51st National Hockey League All-Star Game – which  took place on February 4, 2001, at Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado saw the highest scoring all-star game in history with a final score being North America 14, World 12.  Bill Guerin recorded a hat trick and added two assists, capturing MVP honors.
10. The 41st National Hockey League All-Star Game – Pittsburgh. The Wales conference defeated the Campbell conference all-stars 12–7. Pittsburgh’s organizers creating the first All-Star weekend with the addition of the Heroes of Hockey game, a two-period oldtimers’ game between past NHL greats and the  National Hockey League All-Star Skills Competition.

    Of note, the Montreal Canadiens were slated to host the 41st All-Star Game, but withdrew their bid due to the superb hosting by Quebec City of Rendez-Vous ’87.  Pittsburgh star Mario Lemieux was named MVP.