theScore's guide to the NHL All-Star Skills Competition
2019 NHL All-Star Skills Competition
Where: SAP Center, San Jose, Calif.
When: Friday, Jan. 25, 9 p.m. ET
TV: CBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports (Canada); NBCSN (U.S.)
Many of the NHL's brightest talents will put their abilities to the test in the All-Star Skills Competition on Friday.
This year's event will take place one night earlier than when it's been traditionally held, but beyond that, it won't be significantly different from the 2018 edition. Just like last year, the winner of each event will earn $25,000 for their efforts.
Here's a full rundown.
Fastest Skater
Dave Sandford / National Hockey League / GettyA longtime staple of the skills competition, this event is pretty straightforward.
Eight skaters will be timed taking one full lap around the rink, and the fastest one wins.
The skaters can choose the direction of their lap and can be positioned a maximum of 3 feet behind the start line on the penalty box side of the center red line.
Participants
- Jack Eichel, Buffalo Sabres
- Mathew Barzal, New York Islanders
- Cam Atkinson, Columbus Blue Jackets
- Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars
- Clayton Keller, Arizona Coyotes
- Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
- Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks
- Kendall Coyne, U.S. Women's National Team
Jeff Vinnick / National Hockey League / GettyThis event has a new name, but it's more or less the same as last year's Passing Challenge.
Eight players will compete in three segments of the single-round contest: Breakout Pass, Mini Nets, and Target Passing.
In the Breakout Pass portion, each player will be given 10 pucks and will try to make a pass to three "players." In the Mini Net stage, each competitor must complete a pass over a barricade and into all four miniature nets.
Finally, in the Target Passing stage, each player must complete passes by hitting targets that randomly light up every 3 seconds. The player to complete all three skills in the fastest time is deemed the winner.
Participants
- Sebastian Aho, Carolina Hurricanes
- Thomas Chabot, Ottawa Senators
- Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers
- Roman Josi, Nashville Predators
- Erik Karlsson, San Jose Sharks
- Ryan O'Reilly, St. Louis Blues
- Mikko Rantanen, Colorado Avalanche
- Keith Yandle, Florida Panthers
Mike Carlson / Getty Images Sport / GettyThis goalie-centric event is back after debuting last year.
At least four netminders and all 36 skaters will take part in a shootout grouped by division, and the objective of the exercise is to make the most consecutive saves.
Each goalie faces one opposing division and at least nine scoring attempts. Players will shoot in numerical order, from lowest to highest, with the captains shooting last. A goalie's round can't end with a save, and if the divisional captain's shot is stopped, the goalie will keep facing shooters until he allows a goal.
Oh, and here's a fun rule we wouldn't mind seeing employed: If two or more goalies remain tied based on the total number of saves made, they'll compete in a sudden death round of Goalie Goals.
Participants
- Devan Dubnyk, Minnesota Wild
- Marc-Andre Fleury, Vegas Golden Knights
- John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks
- Braden Holtby, Washington Capitals
- Jimmy Howard, Detroit Red Wings
- Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers
- Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators
- Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThis event can prove challenging, but that makes it all the more impressive when it's mastered.
Eight players will take part in three components: stickhandling through a series of 10 pucks in a straight line, controlling a puck through eight cones in a zig-zag formation, and guiding the puck through a lit rung on a gate.
Each stage must be completed before moving on to the next one, and the players complete their respective rounds by shooting the puck into the net following completion of the gate portion.
Participants
- Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames
- Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers
- Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks
- Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado Avalanche
- Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks
- Mark Scheifele, Winnipeg Jets
- Jeff Skinner, Buffalo Sabres
- John Tavares, Toronto Maple Leafs
Dave Sandford / National Hockey League / GettyAlex Ovechkin won't be defending his title, but four other players will take part in one of the simplest and most enduring events in the skills competition.
Each of them will shoot from 30 feet out, and they'll take two shots per round over two rounds, with the hardest in each round being recorded.
The shooters can skate toward the puck, starting no further than the nearest blue line.
Participants
- Brent Burns, San Jose Sharks
- John Carlson, Washington Capitals
- Seth Jones, Columbus Blue Jackets
- Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning
Dave Sandford / National Hockey League / GettyThis event underwent a modern makeover last year, as the traditional foam targets were replaced by LED units.
The five new targets are back, and players will be timed while shooting at them from 25 feet out. The targets will light up randomly for 3 seconds at a time and will be removed from the sequence once hit.
The player who hits all five targets in the fastest time will be declared the winner.
Participants
- Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings
- Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning
- Kris Letang, Pittsburgh Penguins
- Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
- Kyle Palmieri, New Jersey Devils
- David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins
- Joe Pavelski, San Jose Sharks
- Blake Wheeler, Winnipeg Jets
Atlantic Division
| Player | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|
| David Pastrnak | F | Bruins |
| Nikita Kucherov | F | Lightning |
| Steven Stamkos | F | Lightning |
| Auston Matthews | F | Maple Leafs |
| John Tavares | F | Maple Leafs |
| Jack Eichel | F | Sabres |
| Jeff Skinner | F | Sabres |
| Keith Yandle | D | Panthers |
| Thomas Chabot | D | Senators |
| Andrei Vasilevskiy | G | Lightning |
| Jimmy Howard | G | Red Wings |
Metropolitan Division
| Player | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Cam Atkinson | F | Blue Jackets |
| Kyle Palmieri | F | Devils |
| Claude Giroux | F | Flyers |
| Sebastian Aho | F | Hurricanes |
| Mathew Barzal | F | Islanders |
| Sidney Crosby | F | Penguins |
| Seth Jones | D | Blue Jackets |
| John Carlson | D | Capitals |
| Kris Letang | D | Penguins |
| Braden Holtby | G | Capitals |
| Henrik Lundqvist | G | Rangers |
Central Division
| Player | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Gabriel Landeskog | F | Avalanche |
| Nathan MacKinnon | F | Avalanche |
| Mikko Rantanen | F | Avalanche |
| Patrick Kane | F | Blackhawks |
| Ryan O'Reilly | F | Blues |
| Mark Scheifele | F | Jets |
| Blake Wheeler | F | Jets |
| Roman Josi | D | Predators |
| Miro Heiskanen | D | Stars |
| Pekka Rinne | G | Predators |
| Devan Dubnyk | G | Wild |
Pacific Division
| Player | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Elias Pettersson | F | Canucks |
| Clayton Keller | F | Coyotes |
| Johnny Gaudreau | F | Flames |
| Leon Draisaitl | F | Oilers |
| Connor McDavid | F | Oilers |
| Joe Pavelski | F | Sharks |
| Drew Doughty | D | Kings |
| Brent Burns | D | Sharks |
| Erik Karlsson | D | Sharks |
| John Gibson | G | Ducks |
| Marc-Andre Fleury | G | Golden Knights |
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