Rakell, Boeser lead Pacific Division to NHL All-Star win

By FRED GOODALL
AP Sports Writer

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – Vancouver's Brock Boeser was more than happy to just be at the NHL All-Star game, mingling with some of the high-profile players he grew up admiring.

Leaving Amalie Arena as the first rookie to take MVP honors since Mario Lemieux in 1985 on Sunday far exceeded anything he imagined possible.

"Shocked," the 20-year-old said Canucks star said, describing his reaction. "I never would have dreamt this any time in life."

Rickard Rakell had two goals and Boeser, Johnny Gaudreau and Drew Doughty also scored to help the Pacific Division beat the Atlantic 5-2 in the championship game of a four-team divisional tournament played in an entertaining three-on-three format adopted for the All-Star game in 2016.

The NHL's leading rookie scorer with 24 goals and 19 assists for the Canucks also had a helper in the final after scoring to put his team ahead for good in the Pacific's 5-2 semifinal victory over the Central Division.

"I was definitely nervous coming into it," said Boeser, the only rookie among 15 first-time All-Stars. "(I said) enjoy this, just have fun, smile. That's what I did."

Goalies Marc-Andre Fleury and Mike Smith teamed to allow just four goals in the two games the Pacific won to claim the $1 million winner-take-all prize.

Mike Green had two goals for the Atlantic, one off both Fleury and Smith in the final.

Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov had three goals in the Atlantic's 7-4 semifinal win over the Metropolitan Division, however the Lightning's young star was shut out in the championship game.

"After we saw that we won the first game, we said we needed to tighten up a little bit and play a little harder there for the cash," said Gaudreau, who plays for the Calgary Flames.

"We made sure we were ready to go. (Because) now there's something to play for in the finals," said Smith, who stopped six of seven shots in the second half. "Our guys did a good job to up the tempo."

All-Star weekend began with a free outdoor concert headlined by Fitz and the Tantrums and also featured a three-day fun fest for fans, as well as the annual skills competition that wrapped up Saturday's festivities.

Adding spice and a unique flavor to the experience was Tampa's annual Gasparilla Pirate Invasion, which drew what officials estimated as an additional 200,000 people to the downtown waterfront for a parade and other activities.

Players walked the red carpet, posing for pictures and signing autographs before entering Amalie Arena for the first All-Star game played in Tampa since 1999, the last of Wayne Gretzky's 18 appearances in the midseason showcase that shifts to San Jose, California, next season.

"Tampa proved it's a great hockey town," said Lightning first-time All-Star Brayden Point, added to the game because of an injury to Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman. "It's awesome."

With the Lightning's Jon Cooper coaching the Atlantic Division, and the team with the NHL's best record represented by a league-high four players, the sellout crowd of 19,092 roared its approval when the Atlantic-Metropolitan semifinal began with goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, plus Kucherov, Point and Steven Stamkos on the ice at the same time.

Kucherov's hat trick in the Atlantic's semifinal win was the first for an All-Star game since the NHL instituted the three-match, three-on-three tournament format.

"He's a magical player," Cooper of the 24-year-old two-time All-Star who's among the league's leading scorers.

Point, Toronto's Auston Matthews and Buffalo's Jack Eichel also scored for the Atlantic, which rallied from a 3-1 deficit after Vasilevskiy allowed early goals to Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby, Philadelphia's Claude Giroux and Washington's Alex Ovechkin.

Boeser snapped a 2-2 tie, James Neal of the Western Conference-leading Vegas Golden Knights scored two goals, and Edmonton's Connor McDavid had four assists in the Pacific's semifinal win over the Central Division.

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Live Blog: NHL All-Star Gane updates

UPDATE 2:

The Atlantic Division defeated the Metropolitan Division 7-4 to advance to the NHL All-Star Game final against the Pacific Division.

UPDATE 1:

The Pacific Division defeated the Central Division in the first semifinal game of the NHL All-Star Game on Sunday in Tampa.

Nathan MacKinnon and P.K. Subban scored for the Central, and Drew Doughty, James Neal (2), Brock Boeser, and Brent Burns scored for the Pacific.

For the Central, Pekka Rinne made 4/4 saves, while Connor Hellebuyck made 5/8 saves.

For the Pacific, Marc-Andre Fleury and Mike Smith each made 7/8 saves.

All-Star Skills Competition Results

This year, the 2018 GEICO NHL All-Star Skills Competition was revamped, featuring six events: Enterprise NHL Fastest Skater, Dunkin' Donuts NHL Passing Challenge, GEICO NHL Save Streak, Gatorade NHL Puck Control Relay, PPG NHL Hardest Shot and Honda NHL Accuracy Shooting.

Enterprise NHL Fastest Skater

Eight skaters will compete in the Enterprise NHL Fastest Skater. Each skater will be timed for one full lap around the rink. The skater may choose the direction of the lap and can be positioned a maximum of three feet behind the start line located on the penalty box side of the center red line. The skater must start on the referee's whistle and the timing clock will start when the skater crosses the start line. In the event of a clock malfunction, the official time will be recorded by the referee's stopwatch. The skater with the fastest time is the winner of the Enterprise NHL Fastest Skater, and if there is a tie for the fastest time, the tied players will skate another lap to determine the winner.

Player | Time (secs.)

1. Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning | 13.579

2. Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets | 14.250

3. Rickard Rakell, Anaheim Ducks | 14.181

4. Noah Hanifin, Carolina Hurricanes | 14.317

5. Josh Bailey, New York Islanders | 14.413

6. Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche | 14.056

7. Jack Eichel, Buffalo Sabres | 13.828

8. Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers | 13.454

Enterprise NHL Fastest Skater Winner: Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers (13.454)


Dunkin' Donuts NHL Passing Challenge

Eight players will compete in the Dunkin' Donuts NHL Passing Challenge, which consists of three skills over one round, including (1) Target Passing, where each player must complete four successful passes to targets that light up in a random sequence; (2) Give and Go, where each player must successfully complete the four required passes through a course set up in the neutral zone; and (3) Mini Nets, where each player must complete one pass over a barricade and into each of four mini nets, as well as an additional pass into the game net. Each skill must be completed before a player moves on to the next. The referee's whistle signals completion of each skill. The player to complete all three skills in the fastest time is deemed the winner of the Dunkin' Donuts NHL Passing Challenge, and if there is a tie for the fastest time, the tied players will compete again to determine the winner.

Player | Time (secs.)

1. Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning | 1:39.562

2. Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers | 1:07.419

3. Brayden Schenn, St. Louis Blues | 1:05.951

4. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Arizona Coyotes | 1:04.530

5. Eric Staal, Minnesota Wild | 54.679

6. Alex Pietrangelo, St. Louis Blues | 46.610

7. Kris Letang, Pittsburgh Penguins | 1:00.015

8. Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings | 1:47.415

Dunkin' Donuts NHL Passing Challenge Winner: Alex Pietrangelo, St. Louis Blues (46.610)


GEICO NHL Save Streak

Five goalies and all 36 skaters will participate in the GEICO NHL Save Streak, a shootout grouped by division where goalies compete to make the most consecutive saves. Each goalie will face one opposing division and a minimum of nine scoring attempts. Each scoring attempt is officiated in accordance with NHL shootout rules and begins on the referee's whistle. Players from each division will shoot in numerical order, lowest to highest, with the divisional captain shooting ninth. A goalie's round at the GEICO NHL Save Streak cannot end with a save -- if the divisional captain's shot is saved, the goalie will continue to face shooters until a goal is scored. If the goalie makes a save on the divisional captain's shot, the order of shooters to follow is the same as at the original order. The goalie with the longest consecutive save streak during his time in net is the winner of the GEICO NHL Save Streak. If there is a tie for longest consecutive save streak, the goalie with the highest total saves made during his round will be crowned the winner.

Goaltender: Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers

vs. Central Division Shooters | Goal or Save

1. John Klingberg | Save (1), Save (4)

2. Brayden Schenn | Save (2), Save (5)

3. Eric Staal | Save (3), Goal

4. Blake Wheeler | Save (4)

5. Alex Pietrangelo | Save (5)

6. Nathan MacKinnon | Goal

7. Patrick Kane | Save (1)

8. Tyler Seguin | Save (2)

9. P.K. Subban | Save (3)

Longest Save Streak: 5


Goaltender: Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets

vs. Pacific Division Shooters | Goal or Save

1. Brock Boeser | Save (1), Goal

2. Drew Doughty | Save (2)

3. Anze Kopitar | Goal

4. Johnny Gaudreau | Save (1)

5. James Neal | Save (2)

6. Oliver Ekman-Larsson | Save (3)

7. Rickard Rakell | Goal

8. Brent Burns | Goal

9. Connor McDavid | Save (1)

Longest Save Streak: 3


Goaltender: Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators

vs. Metropolitan Division Shooters | Goal or Save

1. Noah Hanifin | Save (1), Save (10)

2. Zach Werenski | Save (2), Save (11)

3. Brian Boyle | Save (3), Save (12)

4. Josh Bailey | Save (4), Save (13)

5. Claude Giroux | Save (5), Goal

6. Kris Letang | Save (6)

7. Sidney Crosby | Save (7)

8. John Tavares | Save (8)

9. Alex Ovechkin | Save (9)

Longest Save Streak: 13


Goaltender: Marc-Andre Fleury, Vegas Golden Knights

vs. Atlantic Division Shooters | Goal or Save

1. Jack Eichel | Save (1), Save (8)

2. Aleksander Barkov | Goal, Save (9)

3. Brayden Point | Save (1), Save (10)

4. Mike Green | Save (2), Save (11)

5. Auston Matthews | Save (3), Save (12)

6. Brad Marchand | Save (4), Save (13)

7. Erik Karlsson | Save (5), Save (14)

8. Nikita Kucherov | Save (6), Goal

9. Steven Stamkos | Save (7)

Longest Save Streak: 14


Goaltender: Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning

vs. Central Division Shooters | Goal or Save

1. John Klingberg | Save (1)

2. Brayden Schenn | Goal

3. Eric Staal | Save (1)

4. Blake Wheeler | Save (2)

5. Alex Pietrangelo | Save (3)

6. Nathan MacKinnon | Goal

7. Patrick Kane | Save (1)

8. Tyler Seguin | Save (2)

9. P.K. Subban | Goal

Longest Save Streak: 3

GEICO NHL Save Streak Winner: Marc-Andre Fleury, Vegas Golden Knights (14)


Gatorade NHL Puck Control Relay

Eight players will compete in the Gatorade NHL Puck Control Relay, a timed single-round event that includes three skills: (1) Stickhandling, where a skater controls a puck through a series of eight pucks in a straight line; (2) Cone Control, where a skater controls a puck through a series of eight cones in a zig-zag formation; and (3) Gates, where a skater approaches a gate and is required to shoot or otherwise guide the puck through the lighted rung of a gate. Each skill must be completed before moving on to the next skill. The referee's whistles will signal completion of each skill and the player to complete the three skills in the fastest time is deemed the winner of the Gatorade NHL Puck Control Relay. If there is a tie for the fastest time, the tied players will compete again to determine the winner.

Player | Time

1. Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames | 24.650

2. Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers | 33.233

3. Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators | 37.417

4. John Tavares, New York Islanders | 28.242

5. Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers | 29.220

6. Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs | 44.344 

7. Tyler Seguin, Dallas Stars | 39.078

8. Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks | 32.792

Gatorade NHL Puck Control Relay Winner: Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames (24.650)


PPG NHL Hardest Shot

Five players will compete in the PPG NHL Hardest Shot. Over two rounds, each player will attempt two shots measured in miles per hour (mph), with the highest speed of their two shots recorded. After each player's first attempt, the order of shots for second attempts will be based on the speed recorded in the first round, slowest to fastest. For each attempt, a single puck is positioned on the ice 30 feet from the center of the goal. Starting no further than the nearest blue line, the shooter may skate towards the puck and shoot it from its positioned spot into the goal. Shots must be on goal to be calculated and all shots are recorded by radar in miles per hour. If a puck enters the goal uncalculated due to a malfunction of the radar equipment, the shooter will be allowed an additional attempt. If player breaks his stick he will be given another attempt. The player who records the fastest speed is the winner of the PPG NHL Hardest Shot. If there is a tie for the fastest speed, the tied players will shoot again to determine the winner.

ROUND 1

Player | Shot 1 (mph)

1. John Klingberg, Dallas Stars | 96.6

2. Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals | 98.8

3. P.K. Subban, Nashville Predators | 95.5

4. Brent Burns, San Jose Sharks | 88.0

5. Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning | 95.2


ROUND 2

Player | Shot 2 (mph)

1. Brent Burns, San Jose Sharks | 92.4

2. Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning | 95.9

3. P.K. Subban, Nashville Predators | 98.7

4. John Klingberg, Dallas Stars | 97.6

5. Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals | 101.3

PPG NHL Hardest Shot Winner: Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals (101.3)


Honda NHL Accuracy Shooting

Eight players will compete in the Honda NHL Accuracy Shooting, a timed event where a shooter is positioned 25 feet from the goal line and shoots pucks at five LED targets located in the net. On the referee's whistle, one of the five LED targets will randomly light up for three seconds and the player will attempt to hit the lighted target. Hit targets will be taken out of the random sequencing and if the target is not hit within three seconds, the next target will be lighted. The clock stops when the player has successfully hit all five targets, the player that hits all five targets in the fastest time will be crowned the winner of the Honda NHL Accuracy Shooting. If there is a tie for the fastest time, the tied players will compete again to determine the winner.

Player | Time (secs.)

1. Brian Boyle, New Jersey Devils | 11.626

2. Blake Wheeler, Winnipeg Jets | 22.531

3. James Neal, Vegas Golden Knights | 14.262

4. Brock Boeser, Vancouver Canucks | 11.136

5. Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins | 44.692

6. Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings | 50.844

7. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins | 15.851

8. Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning | 21.923

Honda NHL Accuracy Shooting Winner: Brock Boeser, Vancouver Canucks (11.136)

Player Assignments for the 2018 GEICO NHL All-Star Skills Competition

TAMPA – The National Hockey League today announced the player assignments for the 2018 NHL All-Star Skills Competition. The 2018 NHL All-Stars will compete in six events showcasing their talent tonight at 7 p.m. ET at AMALIE Arena in Tampa, Fla., home of the Tampa Bay Lightning. The competition will be televised on NBCSN in the U.S. and on CBC, Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada. All six events of the competition will be individual competitions, with the winner of each event earning $25,000.

Details, rules and participants for all six events of the competition are listed below.

· Enterprise NHL Fastest Skater™

· Dunkin’ Donuts NHL Passing Challenge™

· GEICO NHL Save Streak™

· Gatorade NHL Puck Control Relay™

· PPG NHL Hardest Shot™

· Honda NHL Accuracy Shooting™

Enterprise NHL Fastest Skater™
Eight skaters will compete in the Enterprise NHL Fastest Skater™. Each skater will be timed for one full lap around the rink. The skater may choose the direction of their lap and can be positioned a maximum of three feet behind the start line located on the penalty box side of the center red line. The skater must start on the referee’s whistle and the timing clock will start when the skater crosses the start line. In the event of a clock malfunction, the official time will be recorded by the referee’s stopwatch. The skater with the fastest time is the winner of the Enterprise NHL Fastest Skater™, and if there is a tie for the fastest time, the tied players will skate another lap to determine the winner.

Participants:
Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning
Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets
Rickard Rakell, Anaheim Ducks
Noah Hanifin, Carolina Hurricanes
Josh Bailey, New York Islanders
Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
Jack Eichel, Buffalo Sabres
Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers

Dunkin’ Donuts NHL Passing Challenge™
Eight players will compete in the Dunkin’ Donuts NHL Passing Challenge™, which consists of three skills over one round, including  (1) Target Passing, where each player must complete four successful passes to targets that light up in a random sequence; (2) Give and Go, where each player must successfully complete the four required passes through a course set up in the neutral zone; and (3) Mini Nets, where each player must complete one pass over a barricade and into each of four mini nets, as well as an additional pass into the game net. Each skill must be completed before a player moves on to the next. The referee’s whistle signals completion of each skill. The player to complete all three skills in the fastest time is deemed the winner of the Dunkin’ Donuts NHL Passing Challenge™, and if there is a tie for the fastest time, the tied players will compete again to determine the winner.

Participants:
Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning
Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers
Brayden Schenn, St. Louis Blues
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Arizona Coyotes
Eric Staal, Minnesota Wild
Alex Pietrangelo, St. Louis Blues
Kris Letang, Pittsburgh Penguins
Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings

GEICO NHL Save Streak™
Five goalies and all 36 skaters will participate in the GEICO NHL Save Streak™, a shootout grouped by division where goalies compete to make the most consecutive saves. Each goalie will face one opposing division and a minimum of nine scoring attempts. Each scoring attempt is officiated in accordance with NHL shootout rules and begins on the referee’s whistle. Players from each division will shoot in numerical order, lowest to highest, with the divisional captain shooting ninth. A goalie’s round at the GEICO NHL Save Streak™ cannot end with a save – if the divisional captain’s shot is saved, the goalie will continue to face shooters until a goal is scored. If the goalie makes a save on the divisional captain’s shot, the order of shooters to follow is the same as at the original order. The goalie with the longest consecutive save streak during his time in net is the winner of the GEICO NHL Save Streak™. If there is a tie for longest consecutive save streak, the goalie with the highest total saves made during his round will be crowned the winner.

Participants:
Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers, vs. Central Division

Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets, vs Pacific Division

Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators, vs. Metropolitan Division

Marc-Andre Fleury, Vegas Golden Knights, vs. Atlantic Division

Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning, vs. Central Division

Gatorade NHL Puck Control Relay™
Eight players will compete in the Gatorade NHL Puck Control Relay™, a timed single-round event that includes three skills: (1) Stickhandling, where a skater controls a puck through a series of eight pucks in a straight line; (2) Cone Control, where a skater controls a puck through a series of eight cones in a zig-zag formation; and (3) Gates, where a skater approaches a gate and is required to shoot or otherwise guide the puck through the lighted rung of a gate. Each skill must be completed before moving on to the next skill. The referee’s whistles will signal completion of each skill and the player to complete the three skills in the fastest time is deemed the winner of the Gatorade NHL Puck Control Relay™. If there is a tie for the fastest time, the tied players will compete again to determine the winner.

Participants:
Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames
Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers
Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators
John Tavares, New York Islanders
Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
Tyler Seguin, Dallas Stars
Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks

PPG NHL Hardest Shot™
Five players will compete in the PPG NHL Hardest Shot™. Over two rounds, each player will attempt two shots measured in miles per hour (mph), with the highest speed of their two shots recorded. After each player’s first attempt, the order of shots for second attempts will be based on the speed recorded in the first round, slowest to fastest. For each attempt, a single puck is positioned on the ice 30 feet from the center of the goal. Starting no further than the nearest blue line, the shooter may skate towards the puck and shoot it from its positioned spot into the goal. Shots must be on goal to be calculated and all shots are recorded by radar in miles per hour. If a puck enters the goal uncalculated due to a malfunction of the radar equipment, the shooter will be allowed an additional attempt. If player breaks his stick he will be given another attempt. The player who records the fastest speed is the winner of the PPG NHL Hardest Shot™. If there is a tie for the fastest speed, the tied players will shoot again to determine the winner.

Participants:
John Klingberg, Dallas Stars
Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
P.K. Subban, Nashville Predators
Brent Burns, San Jose Sharks
Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning

Honda NHL Accuracy Shooting™
Eight players will compete in the Honda NHL Accuracy Shooting™, a timed event where a shooter is positioned 25 feet from the goal line and shoots pucks at five LED targets located in the net. On the referee’s whistle, one of the five LED targets will randomly light up for three seconds and the player will attempt to hit the lighted target. Hit targets will be taken out of the random sequencing and if the target is not hit within three seconds, the next target will be lighted. The clock stops when the player has successfully hit all five targets, the player that hits all five targets in the fastest time will be crowned the winner of the Honda NHL Accuracy Shooting™. If there is a tie for the fastest time, the tied players will compete again to determine the winner.

Participants:
Brian Boyle, New Jersey Devils
Blake Wheeler, Winnipeg Jets
James Neal, Vegas Golden Knights
Brock Boeser, Vancouver Canucks
Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins
Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning.

NHL Announces Full Rosters for All-Star Game

NEW YORK – The National Hockey League announced today the full roster of players for the 2018 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend, which will be held Jan. 27-28 at AMALIE Arena in Tampa.

Forty players were selected by the NHL, joining the four division captains elected by fans via the 2018 NHL All-Star Fan Vote: Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning (Atlantic), Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals (Metropolitan), P.K. Subban of the Nashville Predators (Central) and Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers (Pacific).

Below are the complete rosters for each division, comprised of six forwards, three defensemen and two goaltenders per team:

2018 Honda NHL All-Star Game Rosters

Atlantic Division (All-Star appearance)
F    Aleksander Barkov, FLA (1st)
F    Jack Eichel, BUF (1st)
F    Nikita Kucherov, TBL (2nd)
F    Brad Marchand, BOS (2nd)
F    Auston Matthews, TOR (2nd)
F    Steven Stamkos, TBL* (5th)
D    Mike Green, DET (2nd)
D    Victor Hedman, TBL (2nd)
D    Erik Karlsson, OTT (5th)
G    Carey Price, MTL (6th)
G    Andrei Vasilevskiy, TBL (1st)
Head Coach: Jon Cooper, TBL (1st)

Metropolitan Division (All-Star appearance)
F    Josh Bailey, NYI (1st)
F    Sidney Crosby, PIT (3rd)
F    Claude Giroux, PHI (5th)
F    Taylor Hall, NJD (3rd)
F    Alex Ovechkin, WSH* (7th)
F    John Tavares, NYI (5th)
D    Noah Hanifin, CAR (1st)
D    Seth Jones, CBJ (2nd)
D    Kris Letang, PIT (4th)
G    Braden Holtby, WSH (3rd)
G    Henrik Lundqvist, NYR (4th)
Head Coach: Barry Trotz, WSH (3rd)

Central Division (All-Star appearance)
F    Patrick Kane, CHI (7th)
F    Nathan MacKinnon, COL (2nd)
F    Brayden Schenn, STL (1st)
F    Tyler Seguin, DAL (5th)
F    Eric Staal, MIN (5th)
F    Blake Wheeler, WPG (1st)
D    John Klingberg, DAL (1st)
D    Alex Pietrangelo, STL (1st)
D    P.K. Subban, NSH* (3rd)
G    Connor Hellebuyck, WPG (1st)
G    Pekka Rinne, NSH (2nd)
Head Coach: Peter Laviolette, NSH (3rd)

Pacific Division (All-Star appearance)
F    Brock Boeser, VAN (1st)
F    Johnny Gaudreau, CGY (4th)
F    Anze Kopitar, LAK (4th)
F    Connor McDavid, EDM* (2nd)
F    James Neal, VGK (3rd)
F    Rickard Rakell, ANA (1st)
D    Brent Burns, SJS (5th)
D    Drew Doughty, LAK (4th)
D    Oliver Ekman-Larsson, ARI (2nd)
G    Marc-Andre Fleury, VGK (3rd)
G    Jonathan Quick, LAK (3rd)
Head Coach: Gerard Gallant, VGK (2nd)

* Fan-elected captain

The Lightning, who are celebrating their 25th season, and the city of Tampa will host the 2018 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend. The League’s midseason showcase will take place at AMALIE Arena and will include the 2018 GEICO NHL All-Star Skills Competition on Saturday, Jan. 27 (7 p.m. ET, NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVAS) and 2018 Honda NHL All-Star Game on Sunday, Jan. 28 (3:30 p.m. ET, NBC, CBC, SN, TVAS).

For the third straight season, the All-Star Game will feature a three-game tournament, played in a 3-on-3 format, showcasing teams from each NHL division competing for a $1 million winner-take-all prize pool.

NHL announces Head coaches for NHL All-Star Game

NEW YORK – The National Hockey League announced today that Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning (Atlantic), Peter Laviolette of the Nashville Predators (Central), Barry Trotz of the Washington Capitals (Metropolitan) and Gerard Gallant of the Vegas Golden Knights (Pacific) will serve as the head coaches for the 2018 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend, which will be held Jan. 28-29 at Amalie Arena in Tampa.
 
Under the All-Star selection process, the head coach of the team with the highest points percentage (points earned divided by total possible points) in each of the four divisions through games of Saturday, Jan. 6 – the halfway point of the regular season – will guide the respective All-Star rosters.

Cooper’s Lightning (.744, 29-9-3) posted the top points percentage in the Atlantic Division through games of Saturday, while Laviolette's Predators (.659, 24-11-6), Trotz’ Capitals (.646, 25-13-3) and Gallant’s Golden Knights (.725, 28-10-2) similarly wrapped up the highest points percentages in the Central, Metropolitan and Pacific Divisions, respectively.

Cooper, Laviolette, Trotz and Gallant join Lightning forward Steven Stamkos (Atlantic), Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (Central), Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin (Metropolitan) and Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid (Pacific), who were voted by fans as captains for the 2018 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend.

For the third straight season, the All-Star Game will feature a three-game tournament, played in a 3-on-3 format, showcasing teams from each NHL division. Each of the four teams will include six forwards, three defensemen and two goaltenders.

The remaining 40 All-Stars, determined by the NHL’s Hockey Operations Department, will be announced Wednesday, Jan. 10.

The Lightning, who are celebrating their 25th season, and the city of Tampa will host the 2018 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend. The League’s midseason showcase will take place at Amalie Arena and will include the 2018 NHL All-Star Skills Competition on Saturday, Jan. 27 (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVAS) and 2018 Honda NHL All-Star Game on Sunday, Jan. 28 (3:30 p.m. ET, NBC, CBC, SN, TVAS).

2018 NHL All-Star Game to be played at Tampa Bay

NEW YORK - The National Hockey League today announced the selection of the Tampa Bay Lightning and the city of Tampa as hosts of the 2018 NHL® All-Star. The League's mid-season showcase will take place at AMALIE Arena on Saturday, January 27 and Sunday, January 28 and will include the NHL All-Star Skills Competition™ and the NHL® All-Star Game.

The 2018 NHL All-Star returns to a 3-on-3 tournament format after successful games in Nashville (2016) and Los Angeles (2017). Under the tournament rules, the NHL All-Star Game will be divided into three 20-minute games, with star players from each NHL division making up the four All-Star teams: Pacific, Central, Atlantic, and Metropolitan.

"We are looking forward to bringing the 2018 NHL All-Star celebration to the Tampa Bay area," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. "In addition to the events on the ice, we're planning outside activities which will embrace the Tampa Bay community and Gasparilla events -- as well as the Florida sunshine. We know Jeff Vinik, the Lightning and AMALIE Arena will be outstanding hosts as the NHL family gathers for our mid-season showcase."

"We are thrilled to host the 2018 NHL All-Star Game at AMALIE Arena," said Jeff Vinik, Chairman and Governor of the Tampa Bay Lightning. "We've worked hard over the past several years to transform Tampa Bay into a hockey market. The honor of hosting the All-Star game validates that work, but it's not the end of our efforts. We pledge to work alongside the NHL as well as leaders across Tampa Bay to deliver a world class experience for All-Star players, fans and partners."

Since purchasing the Lightning in March 2010, Jeff Vinik has spearheaded a complete brand and business transformation on and off the ice in Tampa, including nearly $90 million in improvements for AMALIE Arena, an investment of $13 million in local charities through the Lightning Community Heroes program, nearly tripling its season ticket member base (to more than 14,000) along with three Eastern Conference Final appearances and a trip to the 2015 Stanley Cup Final.

"Tampa's a world class destination that hosts events on the international stage better than anyone and there's no better city to host the NHL All-Star game in America," said Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn. "Whether you're attending a concert at Curtis Hixon Park, taking in the views of the city by water taxi or crossing the bay for some fun in the sand, there's something for everyone. Where's better than a hockey town with palm trees?"

The 2018 NHL® All-Star Game will mark the second time Tampa will host the event. The Lightning and Tampa previously hosted the NHL All-Star game in 1999, successfully welcoming thousands of NHL fans, executives and personalities to the city. Further details on 2018 NHL All-Star festivities, including ticket information, special events and television broadcasting information will be released at a later date.

Pacific wins ASG Tournament; John Scott wins MVP

"The 100 Yards" Staff Report

Pacific Division forward John Scott (28) of the Montreal
Canadiens is picked up by his teammates after beating
the Atlantic Division during the championship game of
the 2016 NHL All Star Game at Bridgestone Arena. 

(PHOTO: Christopher Hanewinckel/USA
TODAY Sports)

Corey Perry (Anaheim Ducks) scored the only goal at 13:38 in the 2016 NHL All-Star Game tournament final to earn the Pacific Division the championship in the tournament.

John Scott was voted MVP of the tournament.

The Pacific won the tournament and the $1 million prize pool with a 1-0 victory. Goalies John Gibson (Anaheim Ducks) and Jonathan Quick (Los Angeles Kings) combined for a 17-save shutout. 

"We were mucking and grinding," San Jose Sharks defenseman Brent Burns said. "We want to represent our division. That's the way we roll over there."

Atlantic beats Metro to play in main ASG / Pacific beats Central

"The Neutral Zone" Game Report

The Atlantic Division all-stars defeated the Metropolitan Division all-stars to play the winner of the Western Conference game in the 2016 NHL All-Star Game by a final score of 4-3.

PK Subban scored the game-winning-goal for the Atlantic division from a pass set up by Dylan Larkin.

Erik Karlsson, Aaron Ekblad, and Jaromir Jagr also scored for the Atlantic Division.

Kris Letang, Evgeni Kunetsov and Evgeni Malkin scored for the Metropolitan Division.

The Pacific all-stars defeated the Central all-stars and will face the Atlantic division all stars in the All-Star Game final.

John Scott's Media Day comments

"The Neutral Zone" Staff Report

John Scott

John Scott sat down with the media on NHL All-Star Game media day o Friday

"I sat down with Gary [Bettman] and we had a quick chat. He said if we're gonna have you here we're gonna have a good time and we're gonna make the best of it, and have fun in Nashville."

Scott also gave his input when asked about if the NHL will tweak the All-Star fan voting.

"I guess they'll do something. I don't think it'll have the same effect of the fans next year, but they should do something if they don't want this happening for sure".

Ryan McDonagh's comments at All-Star Media Day

"The Neutral Zone" Staff Report

Ryan McDonagh

New York Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh spoke at media day for the 2016 NHL All-Star Game.

When asked what it would be like to be coached under Barry Trotz, McDonagh said "[Barry] talked a little strategy with us already, so there's a bit more details, things you can strategize about".

Here were McDonagh's comments on the All-Star Game:

"It's exciting to watch on TV, you don't necessarily have to see it live to see the excitement, fast paced." 

John Tavares' All-Star Media Day Comments

"The Neutral Zone" Staff Report

John Tavares

New York Islanders captain John Tavares, who will captain the Metropolitan Division in the 2016 Honda NHL All-Star Game, spoke to the press at the game's media day on Friday.

Tavares was named captain on Thursday when it was released the Metro division's original captain, Alex Ovechkin, would not play in the game.

Tavares mentioned that the schedule usually "picks up" after the All-Star Game.

When asked about the other New York representative (from the Rangers) Ryan McDonagh, Tavares gave some brief comments.

"I've certainly talked to him a few times," Tavares said. "I have a lot of respect for him, we play against each other so much. He does so much for his team. Such a great all-around player, and such a great skater. Those guys are never easy to play against."

Trotz: Capitals' coach Returning to Nashville is coming in "Full Circle"

"The 100 Yards" Staff Report

Barry Trotz

Barry Trotz may be the coach of the Washington Capitals, but he is still loved by the fans of the Nashville Predators.

Trotz is returning to Nashville as a coach in the 2016 Honda NHL All-Star Game. I an interview with the NHL Network, Trotz said that his return to Nashville was coming in "full circle".

"To me, it's full circle," Trotz said. "I came [to Washington] last year for the first time and it was a little emotional, like when you've been somewhere for a long time."

Trotz said that the fans who will see Evgeni Kunetsov replace Alex Ovechkin in the game are "in for a treat."

NHL says John Scott will captain Pacific Team in all-star game

"The Neutral Zone" Roster Report

John Scott

Despite a recent trade to Montreal, John Scott will captain the Pacific Division in the 2016 Honda NHL All-Star Game.

Scott was voted as captain by fans for the game but was traded to the Canadiens soon after.

"I am looking forward to enjoying a fun and unique experience at All-Star Weekend in Nashville with my family," Scott said in a statement released by the league. "While being voted to the All-Star Game by the fans was not something I expected to happen, I am excited to participate in the All-Star events with my fellow players."

The trade from the Coyotes on Friday disappointed did disappoint Scott. 

 "Yeah, obviously," Scott said. "It's something I didn't expect. It came out of thin air for me. I had no idea I was going to get traded. But hey, it is what it is. I had a contract with the Coyotes, and they could trade me wherever they wanted. It's their decision. They wanted to make their team better, and that's what happened."

Star-studded Central roster highlights All-Star reveal

From NHL.com

The NHL announced the remaining players for the 2016 Honda NHL All-Star Game, and several familiar and high-scoring stars will descend upon Bridgestone Arena in Nashville for All-Star Weekend.

The host Nashville Predators have three players among the 40 named Wednesday by the NHL's Hockey Operations Department: goalie Pekka Rinne and defensemen Shea Weber and Roman Josi will play for the Central Division All-Stars. Joining them are a number of all-too-familiar rivals of the Predators who will now become fan favorites in the new 3-on-3 divisional format instituted this season.

Chicago Blackhawks forwards Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane are on the Central Division roster, as are Dallas Stars forwards Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin, St. Louis Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko and Colorado Avalanche forward Matt Duchene.

Kane, who was the voted in as captain of the Central Division team, and Toews starred as the Blackhawks knocked the Predators out of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs in six games during the Western Conference First Round. Benn and Seguin are the driving force behind the Stars, who lead the division this season by eight points.

Together, the Central Division's six forwards have scored 125 goals. Benn leads the League with 24 goals and Kane, who leads the League in points (59), Seguin and Tarasenko are tied for second with 23. Duchene, who has 18 goals, is also in the top 10 among League scorers.

Defenseman Dustin Byfuglien (Winnipeg Jets) and goalie Devan Dubnyk (Minnesota Wild) are the other two members of the Central Division team.

In the new format, each division has a roster of six forwards, three defensemen and two goalies. One player from each division was voted onto the team by the fans and will serve as captain. Each All-Star team will have at least one player from every team in its division.

The game, to be played Sunday, Jan. 31 (5 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN, TVA Sports), will be a 3-on-3 tournament pitting the four divisions against one another in a winner-take-all format. The Atlantic Division will face the Metropolitan Division in one semifinal and the Central Division will face the Pacific Division in the other semifinal. The winners play in the championship game.

Games will be 20 minutes in length and will be decided by a shootout if tied after the 20 minutes.

The 44 players will also be involved in the Honda NHL All-Star Skills Competition on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN, TVA Sports).

The Central Division, coached by Lindy Ruff of the Stars, will have its share of competition when it comes to star power.

Alex Ovechkin, selected captain by the fan vote, heads the Metropolitan Division team, which will be coached by Barry Trotz of the Capitals. Ovechkin has 13 goals this season and is just four short of reaching 500 goals for his NHL career. He is joined by linemate Nicklas Backstrom, who has 35 points, and Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin, who is tied for the division lead in points with 37.

John Tavares of the New York Islanders, Claude Giroux of the Philadelphia Flyers and Brandon Saad of the Columbus Blue Jackets are the other Metropolitan forwards. The defensemen are Justin Faulk of the Carolina Hurricanes, who is tied for the League lead in power-play goals (12), Ryan McDonagh of the New York Rangers and Kris Letang of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Metropolitan Division may have the best goalie tandem in the tournament. Braden Holtby of the Washington Capitals leads the NHL in almost every goalie category, including a League-best .932 save percentage among goalies to appear in at least 20 games. Cory Schneider of the New Jersey Devils has been the runaway MVP of one of the League's more surprising teams in the first half.

Jaromir Jagr, the captain of the Atlantic Division, is one of two representatives from the Florida Panthers, another of the big surprise teams in the first half. The Panthers lead the Atlantic Division in part because of the play of Jagr, 43, who has a team-best 29 points, and goalie Roberto Luongo, who has 18 wins and a .930 save percentage. Their coach, Gerard Gallant, will coach the Atlantic All-Stars.

Ben Bishop from the Eastern Conference champion Tampa Bay Lightning is the other goaltender for the Atlantic Division and is joined by teammate Steven Stamkos, one of six forwards on the team. The other forwards are Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins, Ryan O'Reilly of the Buffalo Sabres, Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings and Leo Komarov of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Atlantic Division boasts a defense that is hard to beat as it features Erik Karlsson of the Ottawa Senators, P.K. Subban of the Montreal Canadiens and Aaron Ekblad of the Florida Panthers. Karlsson and Subban have combined to win the Norris Trophy in three of the past four seasons and Karlsson is the current holder. Ekblad, meanwhile, won the Calder Trophy last season, the first defenseman to do so since Tyler Myers in 2010.

The Pacific Division has a mobile and skilled defense corps, led by Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings, who averages 27:56 per game. He is joined Brent Burns of the San Jose Sharks, No. 2 in average time on ice in the division and Mark Giordano of the Calgary Flames, No. 6 in that category.

The goalies for the Pacific Division are Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings and John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks. Quick leads the division with 22 wins and Gibson, in a platoon situation in Anaheim, has a .932 save percentage in 15 appearances

The Pacific Division, coached by Darryl Sutter of the Kings, also has a good mix of youth and veterans among its forward. John Scott of the Arizona Coyotes, voted in by the fans, leads the veteran contingent, joined by Daniel Sedin of the Vancouver Canucks, Anaheim's Corey Perry and Joe Pavelski of the San Jose Sharks. Johnny Gaudreau of the Calgary Flames and Taylor Hall of the Edmonton Oilers represent the youth movement.

NHL releases All-Star jerseys for 2026 All-Star Game

NEW YORK – The National Hockey League (NHL) on Tuesday unveiled the jerseys that will be worn by the League's All-Stars during the 2016 Honda NHL® All-Star Game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on January 31.