TORONTO – Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid won the $1 million NHL All-Star Skills competition Friday night in Toronto, an event that helped reshape the league this season.
McDavid helped the NHL revamp skills competition with a back-to-basics approach. The field of players was limited to 12 stars in an effort to generate more competition for a $1 million prize. The NHL also scrapped its pre-taped events and judged trick competition in an effort to reorient the competition toward pure hockey skill.
“It definitely got competitive there. I was huffing and puffing,” said McDavid, who also won a gold skating trophy. “The guys were working hard trying to put on a good show and I feel like we did. In the end it's up to the fans and I hope they enjoyed it.”
Leon Draisaitl, McDavid's Oilers teammate and All-Star Gamer, wasn't surprised “in the least” that McDavid won the event.
“He is the epitome of competitiveness on a day-to-day basis,” Draisaitl said.
Each player competed in four of the first six events, earning points for their results. The top eight players after those events advanced to the 1v1 goalie challenge, and then the top six to the final obstacle course challenge.
McDavid opened the competition by winning fastest skater for the fourth time in his career, finishing in 13.408 seconds. That was just ahead of New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal (13.519 seconds), an injury replacement for New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes, who defeated McDavid in the Game of Thrones weekend event. Stars of 2020 in St. Louis.
“I wouldn't really call it a rivalry,” Barzal said with a laugh. “I could beat him on anything in skating. In terms of skating and stickhandling, he sets the bar. I have a lot of respect for his game and his skating. It really is poetry in motion.”
The one-time event featured guest quarterbacks Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and Chicago Blackhawks rookie sensation Connor Bedard making his first appearance since breaking his jaw in a game on Jan. 5. Bedard was chosen to participate before the injury.
“You feel for him,” McDavid said. “I'm sure he wishes he could participate in some of the events. It was great to see him on the ice, looking healthy and like he was close to being back.”
It appeared that Boston's David Pastrnak won the event, but the score changed after reviewing one of his shots. Instead, Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon won with 23 points.
There was also some controversy in the passing challenge, as it appeared Vancouver Canucks star Elias Pettersson didn't make his final pass before the buzzer. But he was deemed to have the puck moving, so he counted, giving him 25 points and the win over Colorado's Cale Makar (23).
Makar won the hardest shot (102.56 mph) in a close competition with Vancouver's JT Miller (102.34 mph).
McDavid won his second event in the stickhandling challenge with a time of 25.755 seconds, and then his third in the shooting accuracy competition with a time of 9.158 seconds. That event featured guest quarterbacks such as Professional Women's Hockey League stars Sarah Nurse and Blayre Turnbull, as well as Toronto Maple Leafs legends Steve Thomas and Doug Gilmour.
Eight players advanced to the One-on-One event, where skaters selected which All-Star goalies they wanted to face.
William Nylander of the Leafs had the first pick as the eighth-place skater, choosing Los Angeles Kings goaltender Cam Talbot and scoring nine points against him. Avalanche goalie Alexandar Georgiev won $100,000 as the event's top goalie, stopping McDavid in nine shots after being the last goaltender selected.
“Georgiev had my number, for sure,” McDavid said. “He was going through and mixing things up. He made it difficult for me.”
“I just tried not to look like a beer league goalie,” Georgiev said.
The six players who advanced to the final event were McDavid, Barzal, Makar, Matthews, Nylander and Miller. Makar led the steeplechase with a time of 43.435 seconds entering the final round, and McDavid needed to finish second or better.
McDavid won the event in 40.606 seconds and took home the $1 million prize.
“I mean, I knew it was already done,” Makar said. “It's hard to beat that guy. He earned it.”
The NHL All-Star Game will take place on Saturday afternoon and will feature a 3-on-3 tournament pitting four selected teams against each other on Thursday night.
