Every year the NHL takes a hiatus in the middle of the season to recognize the success of the many great players that the league has to offer. This year’s All-Star events are taking place in Sunrise, Florida the home of the Florida Panthers.
The All-Star participants will surely enjoy the warm weather and the fans will get a chance to see their favorite superstars up close and personal throughout the weekend. From the normal hardest shot, fastest skater, and shooting events there are plenty of new events coming to this year’s All-Star Weekend. Here are our top three events to watch out for!
#3 Fastest Skater
Hockey is known as one of the fastest sports in the world and when the All-Star festivities begin, this event is a must-watch every year. Last season Jordan Kyrou won the event with a time of 13.55 seconds.
In 2016 the event went back to a full-lap race in which Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin set the record with a time of 13.172. Fans are always excited to see who can turn on the jets and fly around the rink in this competition!
#2 Splash Shot
The Splash Shot event is a new event in this year’s All-Star Skills Competition. The event will feature two shooters to represent each division out on Fort Lauderdale Beach.
The event is quite simple as the players will shoot pucks at targets in hopes of dunking their opponents. While this may seem like a quirky event for All-Star Weekend, these types of events can help bring personality to the league’s top athletes.
The NHL has struggled in the past in getting its stars to open up to the public and become the “face” of the sport. Doing events such as the Splash Shot can bring a comedic and personal touch to the stars of the NHL that consistently show a tough look. Expect the Splash Shot event to be a highlight of the weekend.
#1 All-Star Game
All in all, the NHL All-Star Weekend wouldn’t be complete without the All-Star Game. In 2016 the NHL turned the All-Star game into a three-on-three format. This format allows every fan to see back-and-forth nonstop action.
It is great seeing the different divisions go head to head and how their skills compare and contrast with one another. Some of the best highlights from the weekend can be showcased when the best in the game take on one another in the three-on-three tournament.
Overall, the NHL is making an effort to bring the All-Star Weekend to the fans in a light, competitive, and skilled manner. The league is working on showcasing its top talents while allowing fans to see a personal side of the athletes that they may not be able to see throughout the 82-game regular season.
Fans can catch all of the NHL All-Star Weekend festivities on Friday, Feb 3rd (7 pm ET- 10 pm ET) and Saturday, Feb 4th (3 pm ET- 6 pm ET) on ESPN and ESPN+.
