Auston Matthews and William Nylander of the Maple Leafs have been selected to participate in the NHL All-Star skills competition, offering them the opportunity to potentially win an additional $1 million. Other notable participants include Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers, Quinn Hughes, Elias Pettersson, and J.T. Miller of the Vancouver Canucks, David Pastrnak of the Boston Bruins, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche, Mathew Barzal of the New York Islanders, and Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
During the initial six events – fastest skater, hardest shot, stick handling, one-timers, passing challenge, and accuracy shooting – each player will earn points based on their performance. Matthews, leading the league in goals for the Leafs, will participate in the hardest shot, passing, shooting accuracy, and one-timer events. Nylander, on the other hand, will take on the fastest skater, passing, stick handling, and accuracy events. The top eight performers will advance to a seventh contest, engaging in a 1-on-1 against a goalie of their choosing. The final six will progress to the ultimate obstacle course where points will be doubled. In essence, the competition promises an exciting showcase of skill and a chance for the players to enhance their earnings.