NEW YORK — The NHL all-star game will look like a schoolyard pickup game this year.
The league confirmed Wednesday that it is switching from the conference-versus-conference format it has used for years to a player draft conducted by the all-stars themselves, in which captains selected by the players will determine the teams.
The 2011 all-star weekend will be hosted by Carolina on the last weekend in January.
Under the new format, two captains per team will select the remaining all-stars in any order they choose. Those teams will compete in the all-star game and skills competition.
NHL vice-president Brendan Shanahan says the goal is to “make the game more fun for everyone” and to “inject more excitement and intrigue into all the events.”