Before the 2020 NHL All-Star Game's 3-on-3 tournament, stars from the four divisions — and some of the best women's players in the world — will converge on St. Louis' Enterprise Center for the 2020 NHL All-Star Skills Competition.
All eyes will be on superstars like Connor McDavid, who is seeking to win the Fastest Skater competition for the third year in a row, and how he and fellow Oilers All-Star Leon Draisaitl interact with Calgary Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk amidst a heated dispute between their clubs.
Players from the Atlantic, Metropolitan, Central and Pacific division All-Star teams will compete against each other in five different events throughout the course of the night: Fastest Skater, Save Streak, Accuracy Shooting, Hardest Shot, and Shooting Stars.
Each division also has its own celebrity honorary captain: actress Jenna Fischer (Atlantic), actor Jon Hamm (Metropolitan), St. Louis Blues legend Brett Hull (Central) and Wayne Gretzky (Pacific).
Shooting Stars is the league's brand-new event where eight NHL All-Stars and one member from each national women's team (more on that in a moment) will get seven attempts to shoot pucks at targets on the ice from an elevated platform approximately 30 feet above the ice, behind a goal. The targets will have different point values — points will be awarded if the puck hits a target or hits its base — and each player will get seven shot attempts.
In the middle of the event, members of Canada and the United States' national women's teams will play in their own 3-on-3 game, making for a new chapter in their historic rivalry.
MORE: Everything to know about All-Star Weekend's Elite Women's 3-on-3 tournament
Here is how to watch the NHL All-Star Skills Competition on Friday:
What TV channel is the 2020 NHL All-Star Skills Competition on?
- United States: NBC Sports
- Canada: CBC, Sportsnet and TVAS
NHL All-Star Skills Competition: What time does it start?
- Date: Friday, Jan. 24
- Time: 8 p.m. ET
Order of events at the NHL All-Star Skills Competition
NHL Fastest Skater
In a timed event, eight skaters will individually skate one full lap with the fastest time being declared the winner. Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid has won the event the last three years but Detroit's Dylan Larkin holds the record at 13.172 seconds.
2019 winner: Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers) — 13.378 seconds
Contestants: Jack Eichel (Buffalo Sabres), Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche), Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers), Matthew Barzal (New York Islanders), Chris Kreider (New York Rangers), Anthony Duclair (Ottawa Senators), Travis Konecny (Philadelphia Flyers) and Quinn Hughes (Vancouver Canucks).
NHL Save Streak
At least one goalie from each division will face an opposing division and a minimum of nine shootout attempts. The winner is determined by whoever makes the most consecutive saves. If the last of the original nine shooters — which will be the captain — is stopped, the netminder keeps facing shooters until a goal is scored because their turn cannot end on a save. This is the third year the event will be held.
2019 winner: Henrik Lundqvist (New York Rangers) — 12 consecutive saves
Contestants: David Rittich (Calgary Flames), Tristan Jarry (Pittsburgh Penguins), Jordan Binnington (St. Louis Blues), Andrei Vasilevsky (Tampa Bay Lightning), Frederick Anderson (Toronto Maple Leafs), Jacob Markstrom (Vancouver Canucks), Braden Holtby (Washington Capitals) and Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets).
NHL Accuracy Shooting
Eight players compete to hit all four targets in the corners of the net. The one to hit all four — in whichever order they choose — the quickest, wins the event. Back in 2011, the time element was added and Daniel Sedin set the record that still stands with four targets in 7.3 seconds.
2019 winner: David Pastrnak (Boston Bruins) — 11.309 seconds
Contestants: Jaccob Slavin (Carolina Hurricanes), Tyler Bertuzzi (Detroit Red Wings), Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers), Jonathan Huberdeau (Florida Panthers), Nico Hischier (New Jersey Devils), Tomas Hertl (San Jose Sharks), Alex Pietrangelo (St. Louis Blues) and Mark Scheifele (Winnipeg Jets).
Elite Women's 3-on-3 game
Members of the United States' and Canadian national teams will compete in a 3-on-3 game with two 10-minute periods with a running clock. If there is a penalty in the game, a penalty shot will be awarded to the player fouled. This is the first-ever event of its type at All-Star Weekend.
MORE: Everything to know about the Elite Women's 3-on-3
"It's pivotal for the women's game," American forward Hilary Knight told Sporting News. "Obviously we've been involved with the NHL in different extents and to be part of the NHL All-Star Weekend and to have our own event is a tremendous opportunity.
"We're definitely gonna bring it. There's a lot of pride on the line, every time you split us up into that rivalry. It just naturally comes out of our fabric but it's going to be a fun-filled game. I mean, obviously all these women here, extremely skilled and I think the fans are gonna have a lot of fun watching."
NHL Hardest Shot
A minimum of four players will attempt to record the fastest speed (in miles per hour) on one of two shooting attempts. Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara holds the record for his 10.8. mph shot hit 108.8 mph in 2012. St. Louis' Al MacInnis won the event seven times during his career; Chara is a five-time winner.
2019 winner: John Carlson (Washington Capitals) — 102.8 mph
Contestants: Mark Giordano (Calgary Flames), Seth Jones (Columbus Blue Jackets), Shea Weber (Montreal Canadiens), Victor Hedman (Tampa Bay Lightning), Elias Pettersson (Vancouver Canucks) and John Carlson (Washington Capitals).
NHL Shooting Stars
In a new event for 2020, eight NHL All-Stars and one member from each women's team will shoot pucks at targets on the ice from an elevated platform behind a goal that will be approximately 30 feet above the ice. The targets will have different point values — no points will be awarded if the puck does not hit a target or hits its base — and each player will get seven shot attempts. Pucks can deflect or bounce onto or into a target to garner points and players can hit the same target more than once.
Contestants: David Pastrnak (Boston Bruins), Matthew Tkachuk (Calgary Flames), Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks), Tyler Seguin (Dallas Stars), Brady Tkachuk (Ottawa Senators), Ryan O'Reilly (St. Louis Blues), David Perron (St. Louis Blues) and Mitch Marner (Toronto Maple Leafs).
* Canada and the United States women's team participants are yet to be announced. One player from each nation will take part in the event.