Here’s all the information you need to know about the 2018 NHL All-Star Skills Competition, including how to watch online via live stream
Saturday, January 27 will be a night to remember for the NHL. At Amalie Arena, home of the Tampa Bay Lightning, the 2018 NHL All-STar Skills Competition will be held. It’s a great time, during which the four divisions compete in a fun contest. In previous years, points were awarded to each division, depending on who won each event.
However, this season, there’s a little bit more incentive. The winner for each of the six events will get $25,000. While a majority of the All-Stars are millionaires, money is the ultimate motivator. Even if they don’t keep the money (most would likely donate it to a charity), that’s still quite the incentive to win.
How To Watch
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Venue: Amalie Arena
Where: Tampa, FL
When: Saturday, Jan. 27
Start time: 7:00 pm. ET
Television (Canada): CBC, Sportsnet
Television (USA): NBCSN
Live stream: NHL.tv, NBC
The six events that will be held are the Fastest Skater, Passing Challenge, Puck Control Relay, Save Streak, Accuracy Shooting, and Hardest Shot. That’s three returning events and three new ones Let’s break down the participants for each.
Fastest Skater
One of the most famous events. Connor McDavid is favored to win. Each skater takes a lap around the rink.
Participants: Zach Werenski, Noah Hanifin, Brayden Point, Jack Eichel, Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Josh Bailey, Rickard Rakell
Passing Challenge
In years past, this involved passing pucks into the net and was a part of a relay. It’s a new individual this year and will feature several stations.
Participants: Nikita Kucherov, Claude Giroux, Brayden Schenn, Drew Doughty, Alex Pietrangelo, Eric Staal, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Kris Letang
Puck Control Relay
Much like the Passing Challenge, this was a part of the team relay. Now, it’s an event by itself. New this year is a station that will force skaters to have to make a split-second decision by getting the puck through a randomly opened hole (out of three potential holes)
Participants: Aleksander Barkov, Johnny Gaudreau, Erik Karlsson, McDavid, Auston Matthews, Patrick Kane, John Tavares, Tyler Seguin
Save Streak
A very new event, this one is for goaltenders only. Each goalie will face a specific division. The goaltender who can save the most shots in a row wins.
Participants: Henrik Lundqvist, Connor Hellebuyck, Pekka Rinne, Marc-Andre Fleury, Andrei Vasilevskiy
Hardest Shot
Arguably the most famous event at the All-Star Skills Competition. Long-time winner Shea Weber isn’t here this season. Nor is Zdeno Chara, who undeniably has an unfair advantage because he’s a giant. That leaves the field wide open.
Participants: Alex Ovechkin, John Klingberg, Brent Burns, P.K. Subban, Steven Stamkos
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Accuracy Shooting
This is an old event, with a new twist. In years past, it consisted of players hitting targets in whatever order they preferred. Now, they must do it according to which target lights up.
Participants: Brian Boyle, Blake Wheeler, Brock Boeser, Anze Kopitar, Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos, James Neal, Brad Marchand