Connor McDavid shows why he’s the best player on Earth at the Skills Competition

It is NHL All-Star Weekend! The first night took place on Thursday. The all-star teams were selected by the four captains (Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Quinn/Jack Hughes), the 1967 Maple Leads were honored, and the PWHL had a 3-on-3 showcase. 

On Friday night, the Skills Competition went on in Toronto. 12 of the All-Stars participated in a group of skill-based events that tested all sorts of different hockey skills. 

At the end of the night, Connor McDavid emerged victorious and he earned the $one million cash prize. It was spectacular watching him go through and dominate in every event that he participated in. 

Of the 8 events that took place throughout the night, McDavid won four of them. That includes the obstacle course, fastest skater, stick handling, and shooting accuracy. He is simply the best at everything these days. 

Connor McDavid was truly spectacular at the Skills Competition

There were a few players that gave McDavid a run for his money. William Nylander won the one one-on-one challenge, Nathan MacKinnon won the one-timers challenge, Elias Pettersson won the passing challenge, and Cale Makar won the hardest shot competition. 

Mathew Barzal didn’t win any of these but he, along with Makar, were the ones that came the closest to keeping McDavid from winning. In the end, however, the Edmonton Oilers captain showed everyone why he is considered to be the best player in the league. 

McDavid and the Oilers got off to a slow start this season. However, they have picked it up (they are currently on a 16-game winning streak) and he is the biggest reason for that. He may not be leading the league in points as he usually is but he is still very much alive in the scoring race. 

If there was any doubt about who the best player in the league is, there shouldn’t be anymore. Connor McDavid is as generational as they come. It is a pleasure to watch him be a part of this league. 

Eight goalies got to be a part of it as well. All of them were very good sports (goalies are at a major disadvantage at All-Star Weekend) but one is extra happy right now. Alexander Georgiev of the Colorado Avalanche made the most saves (9) in the one-on-one challenge which earned him $100 thousand. That’s not a bad chunk of change for his efforts. 

This was the best skills competition that the NHL has had in years. It had a little bit of everything and the players tried hard to win the cash prize. The NHL has had a good formula with this style for a while. 

They are also incredibly lucky to have Connor McDavid around. Not only is he a great ambassador for the sport, he is truly elite to watch. This was a well-deserved win for him. 

Now, we await the actual 3-on-3 Tournament involving all of the NHL All-Stars. We’ll see if Connor McDavid can lead another big win or if one of the other squads has what it takes!