Morning Skate: Global - Yahoo Sports

Well folks, we’ve reached the last week in July. Time flies, it was just May, why are there Halloween decorations in the stores, etc.

In keeping with the normal flow of the offseason, there isn’t a ton happening right now, either in the Bruins orbit or around the NHL.

However, we’ve still got some things to kick around and pass the time as the calendar flips to August.

Messrs. Worldwide

In case you missed it (and who could blame you if you did), the NHL will be using a new format at the 2027 All-Star Game, which will be held on SCENIC Long Island.

This year, the teams will be split into players from Canada, the United States, Sweden, Finland, and…THE WORLD.

(You have to read “the world” in your best Norm Macdonald voice for maximum effect.)

This set up seems like a bit of an affront to the rest of the hockey world, similar to the Four Nations tournament, but at least they get to participate this time.

What’s the point of all this? For discussion’s sake, NHL.com released a projected roster for Pitbull’s favorite team, and it’s a pretty stacked group.

The selectors went with nine forwards and no defensemen, a bold choice until you remember it’s the All-Star Game, it’s 3-on-3, and no one plays defense.

I’m not sure if this new format will make the game must-see TV, but it should at least be entertaining.

Acting Locally

In closer-to-home news, there’s not a ton to report on the Bruins, but here are some items to consider:

Mikey Eyssimont certainly sounded like a player who didn’t expect to be back in Boston next season when he spoke at the end of the last campaign. Boston Sports Journal points out how he remains in the mix and wonders what happens next.
James Hagens spoke to the Boston Herald about how “pressure is privilege” and what he expects from his first full NHL season. (This may be behind a paywall.)
And last, but not least, The Athletic ran a list of the biggest on-ice villain for each NHL franchise. I originally misread the title, I guess, and expected it to be each franchise’s biggest villain for on-ice activity; instead, it’s who each fanbase considers the biggest villain against their team (the Bruins choice was Ulf Samuelsson). Some of the answers are obvious, while some are funny: the Hurricanes, for example, consider their biggest villain to be…….Erik Haula?