NHL All-Star Game primer
Premier players gather in Las Vegas
The final games in the first half of the NHL season were played Wednesday night.
The five contests on the schedule featured four teams currently in playoff position. Once the Minnesota Wild-Chicago Blackhawks and Calgary Flames-Arizona Coyotes games drew to conclusions, attention turned to the All-Star festivities, the game set for Saturday afternoon in Las Vegas. ,Everybody except the goalies-asked to make saves against some of world’s top finishers in a 3×3 format-ought to have fun.
The captains were supposed to be Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals (Metropolitan Division), Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs (Atlantic Division), the Colorado Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon (Central Division) and Edmonton Oilers’ forward Connor McDavid (Pacific Division).
Ovechkin (positive COVID-19 test) and MacKinnon (broken nose) have been forced out, so the Philadelphia Flyers’ Claude Giroux replaces Ovechkin as Metropolitan captain, while Ovechkin’s teammate, Tom Wilson, has been added to the list of participants.
Joe Pavelski of the Dallas Stars will now serve as Central Division captain, while Nashville Predators’ defenseman Roman Josi takes MacKinnon’s spot on the roster.
Odds for the tournament will be coming out shortly. In the meantime, as the NHL takes a break, it should be noted that Colorado is the Stanley Cup favorite at +500, followed by Tampa Bay (+700) and Florida (+750) according to the NHL playoff odds.
There is also the usual skills competition-including fastest skater, accurate shooter, hardest shot and breakaway- planned for the festivities in Las Vegas.
The two semifinals and championship game will be nationally televised as well as streamed. There’s not much rest for the participants, as regular-play resumes (Carolina at Toronto, New Jersey at Ottawa) Monday evening.
The event wasn’t held in 2021 due to the global pandemic. The Pacific Division has reached the finals in four of the previous five festivals, winning the championships in 2018 and 2020.
Here is the division by division look at the game for those who bet online.
Atlantic Division
Steven Stamkos of the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning will be making his seventh All-Star game appearance. NHL scoring leader Jonathan Huberdeau of the first-place Florida Panthers, Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins, defenseman Victor Hedman and goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy-both from the Lightning-are other All-Star veterans joining Matthews. Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings is making his second appearance as is Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk, who is replacing injured teammate Drake Batherson.
“We all know Bath deserved to be there…”
After Drake Batherson injured his ankle on a hit from Aaron Dell, it was announced that Brady Tkachuk will be taking his place at the All-Star Game. @clahanna on a bittersweet trip for Tkachuk: https://t.co/7pBMcBXGba#TSNHockey pic.twitter.com/I0qQXd0Qbx
— TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) January 27, 2022
Montreal Canadiens’ forward Nick Suzuki, Leafs’ goalie Jack Campbell and Buffalo Sabres’ defenseman Rasmus Dahlin are making their All-Star Game debuts.
Central Division
Eight first-time All-Star participants are led by forwards Kyle Connor (Winnipeg Jets), Alex DeBrincat (Chicago Blackhawks), Nazem Kadri (Avalanche), Kirill Kaprizov (Minnesota Wild) and Jordan Kyrou (St. Louis Blues). They’re joining defensemen Cale Makar (Avalanche), plus goalies Juuse Saros (Nashville Predators) and Cam Talbot (Wild).
Arizona Coyotes’ Clayton Keller, a two-time choice, joins fourth-time All-Star Pavelski and the Preds’ Josi.
Kadri could be the best story, not just in the division but in the game. With his NHL future somewhat sketchy after multiple post-season suspensions, he’s now in contention to be the MVP of the league.
Metropolitan Division
Giroux, taking part in his seventh All-Star Game, leads a young team, at least in terms of previous All-Star appearances. The lack of experience impacting the NHL betting lines for this tournament remains to be seen.
Washington Capitals’ forward Evgeny Kuznetsov, who will replace injured New York Rangers’ defenseman (and reigning Norris Trophy winner) Adam Fox, joins Carolina Hurricanes’ Sebastian Aho, Rangers’ forward Chris Kreider and Columbus Blue Jackets’ defenseman Zach Werenski. Each is a second-time All-Stars, as are both goalies, Frederick Andersen (Carolina) and Tristan Jarry of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Forwards Jake Guentzel (Pittsburgh) and Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils, along with New York Islanders’ defenseman Adam Pelech join Wilson as All-Star rookies.
Pacific Division
Johnny Gaudreau will be making his sixth All-Star appearance, and this format where speed and skill win out every year is made for a player like the Calgary Flames’ winger.
The thought of McDavid and Gaudreau on the same line would make goalies not selected count their blessings.
Fellow Edmonton Oilers’ forward Leon Draisaitl, Vegas Golden Knights’ defenseman Alex Pietrangelo and Anaheim Ducks’ goalie John Gibson will be playing in their third All-Star games, while Seattle Kraken forward Jordan Eberle is a two-time All-Star.
First-time selections are Los Angeles Kings’ forward Adrian Kempe, Vegas forward Jonathan Marchessault, San Jose Sharks’ winger Timo Meier, Vegas forward Mark Stone, Anaheim forward Troy Terry and Vancouver Canucks’ goalie Thatcher Demko.
