Reign: Taylor proposes changes to All-Star Game

In case you missed it, Karl Taylor and ECHL commissioner Brian McKenna discussed possible changes to the 2010 ECHL All-Star Game in Ontario in today’s editions:

When the ECHL All-Star Game comes to Ontario in January 2010, Reign coach Karl Taylor would like to see it count a little more than it does now.
Last Wednesday’s game in Reading, Pa. ended 11-5 in favor of the American Conference. The Eastern Conference won Sunday’s NHL All-Star Game, 12-11 in a shootout, and Taylor said plainly, “It’s not real hockey.”

“Make it mean something, put some incentives in there,” he said. “Make it very clear how you coach, how you plan it, sell it, position it to the players. That type of atmosphere would be great.

“I’m going to push hard to help try and change that.”

Change could be on the way already. ECHL commissioner Brian McKenna said Monday the league’s board of governors will consider possible incentives for winning the all-star game at its annual meeting this summer.

At last year’s meeting, McKenna said the idea of giving the winning conference home-ice advantage in the Kelly Cup finals was considered but rejected.

“If one conference or another were to win, but the regular-season points champion finishes, let’s say 20 points ahead of the conference champion from the other conference,” McKenna said, “it would be very difficult to explain to all the fans why that team didn’t get the advantage in the Kelly Cup finals.”

The rest of the story: http://www.sbsun.com/sports/ci_11562322

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About J.P. Hoornstra

J.P. Hoornstra covers the Dodgers, Angels and Major League Baseball for the Orange County Register, Los Angeles Daily News, Long Beach Press-Telegram, Torrance Daily Breeze, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star-News, San Bernardino Sun, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Whittier Daily News and Redlands Daily Facts. Before taking the beat in 2012, J.P. covered the NHL for four years. UCLA gave him a degree once upon a time; when he graduated on schedule, he missed getting Arnold Schwarzenegger's autograph on his diploma by five months.