EAST WINS SKILLS COMPETITION, PLAYS FIRST TODAY

The Eastern Conference won the 2016 Honda NHL All-Star Skills Competition, 29-12, and elected to play first in today’s 2016 Honda NHL All-Star Game.

Individual Event Winners
Bridgestone NHL Fastest Skater: Dylan Larkin (DET) – 12.894 seconds*
Honda NHL Breakaway Challenge: P.K. Subban (MTL) – 31.0%
DraftKings NHL Accuracy Shooting: John Tavares (NYI) – 12.294 seconds
AMP Energy NHL Hardest Shot: Shea Weber (NSH) – 108.1 mph
* Larkin also broke Mike Gartner’s all-time record for one lap at 13.172 seconds

 

New format for the 2016 Honda NHL All-Star Game

The midseason classic will showcase a 3-on-3 tournament among the League’s most talented players from each division instead of a traditional 5-on-5  that’s usally high scoring but boring. This format has four teams,  one from each of the four divisions. They will skate in a 3-on-3 “tournament” over three 20-minute periods.

The first two 20-minute periods are “semifinals,” the third 20-minute period is the championship round between the winners of the first two periods.

The conference with the most points after the last event wins.

NHL All-Star Game Date/Time: Sunday, Jan. 31 at 5 p.m. ET. Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.

NHL All-Star Game Rosters

Central Division

Goalies: Devan Dubnyk (MIN), Pekka Rinne (NSH) Defensemen: Dustin Byfuglien (WPG), Roman Josi (NSH), Shea Weber (NSH) Forwards: Jamie Benn (DAL), Tyler Seguin (DAL), Matt Duchene (COL), Patrick Kane (CHI), James Neal (NSH), Vladimir Tarasenko (STL)

Pacific Division

Goaltenders: John Gibson (ANA), Jonathan Quick (LAK) Defensemen: Brent Burns (SJS), Drew Doughty (LAK), Mark Giordano (CGY) Forwards: Johnny Gaudreau (CGY), Taylor Hall (EDM), Joe Pavelski (SJS), Corey Perry (ANA), John Scott (ARI), Daniel Sedin (VAN)

Atlantic Division

Goalies: Roberto Luongo (FLA), Ben Bishop (TBL) Defensemen: Aaron Ekblad (FLA), Erik Karlsson (OTT), P.K. Subban (MTL) Forwards: Patrice Bergeron (BOS), Jaromir Jagr (FLA), Leo Komarov (TOR), Dylan Larkin (DET), Ryan O’Reilly (BUF), Steven Stamkos (TBL)

Metropolitan Division

Goalies: Braden Holtby (WSH), Cory Schneider (NJD) Defensemen: Justin Faulk (CAR), Kris Letang (PIT), Ryan McDonagh (NYR) Forwards: Nicklas Backstrom (WSH), Evgeny Kuznetzov (WSH), Claude Giroux (PHI), Evgeni Malkin (PIT), Brandon Saad (CLB), John Tavares (NYI)
In Other All Star News

The NHL announced the selection of the Kings, STAPLES Center and city of Los Angeles as hosts of the 2017 NHL All-Star celebration. The League’s midseason showcase will take place Jan. 28-29 and will include the Skills Competition and All-Star Game.

The 2017 NHL All-Star celebration will be the third time the League’s All-Star activities take place in Los Angeles. The Kings previously hosted the game in 1981 at The Forum and in 2002 at STAPLES Center.