This weekend, some of the most talented players in the NHL will visit Toronto, ON, the host city for the League’s 68th All-Star Game. On Jan. 4, the league announced the first 32 players, one from each team, while the fans voted in the final 12 skaters Jan. 13.
The players will be drafted into four separate teams Feb. 1, led by captains Auston Matthews (Toronto), Connor McDavid (Edmonton), Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado), and Jack Hughes (New Jersey). A night after the draft, 12 pre-selected players will participate in the annual skills competition in a first-ever format.
Usually, all the players at the All-Star game participate in at least one competition, but this year, only 12 skaters will go head to head, looking to win points for their respective teams. Those skaters include:
- David Pastrnak (Boston)
- Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado)
- Cale Makar (Colorado)
- Connor McDavid (Edmonton)
- Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton)
- Jack Hughes (New Jersey)
- Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay)
- Auston Matthews (Toronto)
- William Nylander (Toronto)
- Quinn Hughes (Vancouver)
- J.T. Miller (Vancouver)
- Elias Pettersson (Vancouver)
Since the NHL continuously changes the skills competition to keep fans engaged in the festivities, this year’s format could give players a chance to shine in unpredictable situations, leading to potentially surprising upsets.
Here are a few things to watch for during the NHL All-Star Skills competition on Friday.
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Round 1 Events
Fastenal NHL Fastest Skater
Today’s NHL players are probably the fastest they have been in the game’s history. On any night, a dozen players fly up and down the ice, reaching speeds not allowed in a school zone. McDavid is often considered the fastest player in the game, and when he gets the puck on his stick, there’s almost no stopping him.
As a three-time winner (2017 to 2019) of the Fastest Skater competition, McDavid is the obvious favorite to win again if he enters. However, Andrei Svechknikov is the reigning champion and will not attend the event this year.
Should he participate, one of the dark horses for the title is Makar, one of today’s most gifted defensemen. Considering he’s got a max speed of almost 23 mph, there’s a chance he could outskate anyone in the race.
Rogers NHL Hardest Shot
Last season, Pettersson became the third forward this century to win the hardest shot competition, topping out at 103.2 mph. Surprisingly, Pettersson has a chance to defend his title at this year’s competition and could achieve a back-to-back win for the first time since Jeremy Roenick in 2003 and 2004.
However, Draisaitl and Pastrnak are known for their one-timers, making them intriguing options to watch in the Hardest Shot competition. Usually, defensemen clean up in this event, with Zdeno Chara holding the record at 108.8 mph. Still, forwards are catching up to their defensive teammates in the event, and with only two defenders participating, the odds are not in their favor.
Upper Deck NHL Stick Handling
The Stick Handling event returns to the All-Star Skills Competition for the first time since 2017, when the Metropolitan Division won. Several players will participate in this race. However, the two players who may win it for their team are MacKinnon and Jack Hughes.
As two of today’s most talented players, MacKinnon is battling for his first Art Ross Trophy, and when healthy, Hughes is one of the most dynamic offensive players in the NHL, at just 22 years old. Their speed and ability to make cuts at fast speeds with the puck give them an edge over other competitors in the event.
NHL One Timers
The NHL has never hosted a One Timer competition, so this event is new, giving the winner bragging rights as the first champion. As a three-time 50-goal scorer, Draisaitl would be a favorite to win this event. As one of the premier snipers in the League, he’s known to get off a one-timer along the goal line on the Oilers lethal power play.
Another great candidate to win this year’s competition is Pastrnak, a 61-goal scorer last season. He is one of the most feared snipers in the NHL and is a power-play specialist, where he has 112 career power-play goals, including 11 this season.
NHL Passing Challenge
The 2024 Skills Competition will mark the third time there is a Passing Challenge event. The first two winners were Alex Pietrangelo (2018) and Draisaitl (2019). This year, McDavid is the leading candidate to win this event. However, Quinn Hughes may be the surprise victor.
As one of two defensemen taking part in the competition, Hughes is a gifted playmaker with 50 assists this season, ranking only behind forwards MacKinnon and Kucherov (53 each). Even though some forwards may excel at this event, Hughes is worth keeping an eye on here.
Cheetos NHL Accuracy Shooting
Last season, Brock Nelson, in his only All-Star Game appearance, won the Accuracy Shooting competition by nailing all four targets in 12.49 seconds. Unfortunately, he is not attending this year’s event, so there will be a new champion for the 14th straight year.
Even though some of the game’s best superstars will compete in this competition, this event may give 40-goal scorer Matthews a chance to make the hometown fans at Scotiabank Arena get out of their seats. Despite never winning a single event in his four previous trips to the All-Star Game, he will be on a mission to give the Toronto faithful something to cheer about.
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Round 2 Event
Honda NHL One-on-One
According to the new rulers for the 2024 Skills Competition, the top eight skaters will advance to the second round, which will feature a shootout. During this event, the player gets to pick which goalie he faces, giving the men behind the mask a chance to shine.
Although there are no goalie winners in this event, the skaters may shoot themselves in the foot if Jeremy Swayman or Connor Hellebuyck gets selected to participate. As two of the top goalies in the League chasing the Vezina Trophy, they may only get one opportunity to showcase their skills at the event, not looking to get humiliated by flashy breakaway attempts.
Round 3 Event
Pepsi NHL Obstacle Course
The NHL has yet to release details of the Obstacle Course; only six skaters will advance to the finale, meaning some gifted All-Stars will not reach this stage. Hopefully, either Matthews or Nylander is one of the six to keep the home crowd invested in the outcome.