NHL announces All-Star Skills Competition events
The NHL has announced the events that will make up the 2015 Honda NHL All-Star Skills competition, to be held on Saturday during NHL All-Star Weekend at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
Team Foligno, led by Columbus Blue Jackets forward Nick Foligno, and Team Toews, led by Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews, will pick from a pool of 42 All-Stars and six rookies. Each player will take part in at least one of the six rounds of the competition, in the following events:
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- NHL Fastest Skater - Players will face off in a one-on-one race around the outside border of the ice.
- NHL Breakaway Challenge - Shooters will have three shots on goal against the opposing team's goalie. Style, creativity and flair are key, while NHL penalty shot rules will not be applied.
- NHL Accuracy Shooting - Four players from each squad will take part in four one-on-one match ups, aiming to hit four 15-inch diameter targets in each corner of the net.
- NHL Skills Challenge Relay - 14 skaters and one goalkeeper from each team will participate in five challenges: One Timers, Passing, Puck Control, Stickhandling, Goalie Goals. Each challenge must be completed before moving to the next one.
- NHL Hardest Shot - Four shooters from each side will take two shots each, with each shot measured in miles-per-hour.
- NHL Shootout - All 48 players will take part in this three-round shootout, with seven players on each side given 10 seconds to shoot during each round.
If the competition ends in a tie, then Foligno and Toews will go head-to-head in a shootout, with each captain selecting the goalie he will face. Further details about the rules and format of the competition can be found here.
In 2012, Zdeno Chara set the Hardest Shot record with a 108.8 mph strike, and Carl Hagelin set a record on his way to beating Colin Greening in the Fastest Skater competition. Patrick Kane, wearing a Superman cape and glasses, won the Breakaway Challenge.
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The Skills Competition teams will be selected during the All-Star Fantasy Draft on Friday at 8 p.m. ET. The Skills Competition will start on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET, while the All-Star game itself will take place on Sunday at 5 p.m. ET.
- Christopher Woody