NHL Is Considering an All-Star Series Against the Soviets

National Hockey League president John Zielger said Wednesday the league will suspend the All-Star game to be played here next year and will attempt to replace it with a two-game, total-goals series pitting an NHL all-star team against the Soviet Union national team.

The series, proposed by Quebec Nordique President Marcel Aubut and approved by all but “two or three” of the league’s board of governers on Tuesday, hinges on a new collective agreement being worked out between the league and its players’ association, Ziegler said.

“Everything is subject to a new agreement, but we have the summer to work on that,” Ziegler said at a news conference.

One other potential drawback to the series, which will be played between Feb. 9-15 to coincide with Quebec’s Winter Carnival, is that the Soviets have yet to be invited to participate.

“We have contingency plans if they don’t accept,” said Alan Eagleson, executive director of the NHL Players Assn.

Since 1975, each of clubs have been represented by at least one player on the Wales Conference or Campbell Conference teams.

However, if the change goes ahead, the players will be chosen according to ability.

“It will be all Edmonton, that’s what I’ll recommend,” said Oiler owner Peter Pocklington. “ La creme de la creme .”