All-Star game features bevy of young talent
Americans Matthews, Eichel headline showcase event
TAMPA, Fla. — Steven Stamkos, Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, P.K. Subban, Connor McDavid, John Tavares, Henrik Lundquist, Marc-Andre Fleury.
Most of the biggest names in hockey will be center stage today in the NHL All-Star game. So will Auston Matthews and a wave of other young American-born players energizing a league benefiting from an infusion of speed and skill.
Matthews, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft, is just 20 years old and already a two-time All-Star.
Jack Eichel, the second pick in 2015, is a first-time All-Star at 21. Noah Hanifin, 21, and Conner Hellebuyck, 24, are making their debuts as well, while 20-yearold Brock Boeser is the lone rookie joining the party at Amalie Arena.
“It’s crazy. … This is my 10th year, I’ll be 28 in the next couple of weeks, and I feel like an old guy,” said Stamkos, a five-time All-Star voted captain of the Atlantic Division team vying for $1 million in a winner-take-all, three-game tournament in a three-on-three format.
“It’s pretty amazing to see how young the league has become, but even more amazing to see how good these kids are coming up,” Stamkos added. “It just goes to show you the skill, and just how ready these 18-, 19-year-old kids are right away to step into this league, where 10, 15 years ago it was unheard of to do that.”
Two other young Americans — Seth Jones, 23, and Johnny Gaudreau, a four time All-Star who’s 24 — also were also selections in a year when the NHL has chosen to not send its players to the Olympics. The decision has left some potential first-time Olympians wondering what might have been.
Matthews, of the Toronto Maple Leafs, was the first U.S.-born player drafted No. 1 overall since Patrick Kane in 2007.
“I think all of us that had the chance to play in the Olympics kind of wish we were going there, I guess. But All-Star weekend’s a fun weekend. I think the NHL does a great job of putting on a good show,” said Kane, who turned 29 in November.
Winnipeg’s Blake Wheeler, 31, agreed, though he still wishes NHL players were headed to South Korea next month.
“As cool as it is for players to be part of the Olympic experience, it’s a missed opportunity to expand our game,” Wheeler added. “A lot of casual viewers that maybe aren’t hockey fans, they watch USA-Canada. They cheer. That’s an opportunity for us to expand the game and make more fans. That’s kind of the bummer about it.”
SKILLS COMPETITION: Alex Ovechkin had already clinched the hardest shot title at the NHL All-Star game skills competition before taking his final shot. All that was left was to try to top 100 mph, and Ovechkin did it.
The Caps star was the only player to the break the century mark Saturday night, coming on his second try. Ovechkin’s first attempt went 98.8 mph.
“Why not?” Ovechkin said, smiling. “And, I did. Of course it’s special to get that type of win.”
Connor McDavid (Edmonton) became the first player to be the fastest skater winner in back-to back years. Alex Pietrangelo (St. Louis) claimed the passing challenge, Johnny Gaudreau (Calgary) topped the puck control relay and Brock Boeser (Vancouver) took the accuracy shooting competition. In a new event, Marc-Andre Fleury put together 14 consecutive stops on breakaways to capture the save streak.
The NHL revamped the skills competition this year, placing the emphasis on the individual players instead of a team competition. The winner of each event received $25,000.