After revamping the All-Star Game, the National Hockey League (NHL) announced Tuesday the creation of a new version of the skills competition, with 12 players competing for a $1 million prize pool.
The Friday of All-Star Weekend in Toronto in early February is dedicated to an eight-stage individual competition. This makes it possible to give real meaning to an event that has lost popularity in recent seasons.
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“We wanted to do something that the players would enjoy and want to participate in,” commissioner Gary Bettman told ESPN.
This means that 12 stars will take part in four competitions each between the disciplines “Fastest Field Player”, “Strongest Throw”, “Puck Handling”, “One-Timer”, “Passing” and “Precision”. Points are awarded to the top five for each event.
“We want to find 12 people who want to participate, who are the most talented players in the league, who have great personalities and who will compete for the title,” said Steve Mayer, NHL commercial director.
After these first six stages, the eight players with the most points will qualify for the final two competitions. The breakaway competition eliminates two more hockey players from the final event, which is the obstacle course with double points.
“The seventh event is really cool. “Eight days are lined up on the blue line, eight goalies are lined up one on top of the other and the players – one at a time, from eighth to first – select the goalie they want to play against,” Mayer described.
All-Star Game Weekend will be presented February 1-3. The skills competition on Thursday is preceded by a repechage run, and the tournament with four teams is presented on Saturday.