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2016 NHL Skills Competition: Time, TV schedule, events and rosters, and how to watch

The NHL’s All-Star Weekend is well under way, and now it’s time for the players to take to the ice and have fun. The Skills Competition will be taking place tonight at 7pm ET, broadcasting on NBCSN in the US and CBC, Sportsnet, and TVA in Canada.

The fan-elected captains for each conference – Jaromir Jagr (Atlantic) and John Tavares (Metropolitan) for the East and Patrick Kane (Central) and John Scott (Pacific) for the West – have come up with their choices for each event in the head-to-head matchups. Descriptions of the events below courtesy of NHL.com.

Bridgestone NHL Fastest Skater

Four players from each team will test their speed, facing off against an opponent in a two-skater race. The race track for the head-to-head match-ups is the border of the rink split in half lengthways. Timing devices will record each skater to determine the winner of each match. If a race ends in a tie, each of the teams will be awarded one point. The skater with the fastest time in the head-to-head match-ups will skate a full lap of the outside border of the rink, in the direction of their choosing, in an attempt to break Mike Gartner’s record (13.386). If, at the completion of the event, two skaters are tied for the fastest overall time, both skaters will skate a full lap of the rink in an attempt to break the historical best record.’Points Available: 6 – The winner of each match-up scores one point; the team with the fastest skater scores a bonus point; if the fastest skater is successful in breaking Mike Gartner’s record an additional bonus point will be awarded.

Detroit Red Wings fans will recognize a name here: rookie sensation Dylan Larkin will be one of four skaters for the East. Joining him are Erik Karlsson (Ottawa Senators), Brandon Saad (Columbus Blue Jackets), and Kris Letang (Pittsburgh Penguins). Skating for the West are Roman Josi (Nashville Predators), Matt Duchene (Colorado Avalanche), Taylor Hall (Edmonton Oilers), and Dustin Byfuglien (Winnipeg Jets).

Honda NHL Breakaway Challenge

Each team will provide one goalie to participate in this challenge. Each shooter will attempt two shots, and teams will alternate after each shot. Style, creativity, and flair are encouraged. NHL penalty shot rules do not apply.
As soon as the last competitor completes his routine, fans in-arena and watching on television in the U.S. and Canada will get another opportunity to make their case on Twitter by casting their vote using the hashtag that corresponds to the player of their choice. The shooter with the highest fan vote will be crowned the Honda NHL Breakaway Challenge winner and score one point for his team.Points Available: 1 – The shooter with the highest percentage of fan votes scores one point.

The three skaters for the East are Brandon Saad (Columbus), Evgeny Kuznetsov (Washington Capitals), and P.K. Subban (Montreal Canadiens). Cory Schneider (New Jersey Devils) will man the net. For the West, the skaters are James Neal (Nashville), Matt Duchene (Colorado), and Brent Burns (San Jose Sharks), while Jonathan Quick (Los Angeles Kings) will play in goal.

DraftKings NHL Accuracy Shooting Challenge

Four shooters from each team will participate, with two additional players serving as passers. This event will consist of four head-to-head match-ups, with one shooter from each team per round. The goal is to hit four 15-inch diameter targets located in each corner of the net. The teams will be situated at opposite ends of the rink, and will alternate attempts. The first shooter to hit all four targets wins.Points Available: 5 – The winner of each match-up scores one point; the player who hits all four targets in the fastest time scores the bonus point.

The shooters for the East are John Tavares (New York Islanders), Patrice Bergeron (Boston Bruins), Claude Giroux (Philadelphia Flyers), and Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh). For the West, they are Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks), Joe Pavelski (San Jose), Corey Perry (Anaheim Ducks), and Jamie Benn (Dallas Stars).

Passers for the East are Nicklas Backstrom (Washington) and Jaromir Jagr (Florida Panthers). For the West, they are Drew Doughty (Los Angeles) and Vladimir Tarasenko (St. Louis Blues).

Gatorade NHL Skills Challenge Relay

This timed relay event – involving 14 skaters and two goalies from each team – will consist of four relays with five challenges each: One Timers, with three shooters and one passer per team; Passing, with one passer per team; Puck Control, with one skater per team; Stick-Handling, with one skater per team; and Goalie Goals, with one goalie per team.
Each skill must be completed before moving on to the next challenge with the exception of one timers, passing and goalie goals in which a maximum of forty-five seconds will be allocated. The goal is to finish all five challenges faster than the opponent.Points Available: 3 – The team with the fastest time in each heat scores one point; the team with the fastest overall time scores one bonus point.

Heat 1 Eastern Conference Western Conference
One-timer Right Shooters Aaron Ekblad (Florida), Erik Karlsson (Ottawa) Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay Lightning) Shea Weber (Nashville), Drew Doughty (Los Angeles), Corey Perry (Anaheim)
One-timer Passer Patrice Bergeron (Boston) Taylor Hall (Edmonton)
Mini-net Passer Nicklas Backstrom (Washington) Daniel Sedin (Vancouver Canucks)
Puck Control Relay Justin Faulk (Carolina Hurricanes) Johnny Gaudreau (Calgary Flames)
Stick Handling Claude Giroux (Philadelphia) Patrick Kane (Chicago)
Goalie Goals Braden Holtby (Washington) Pekka Rinne (Nashville)

Heat 2 Eastern Conference Western Conference
One-timer Left Shooters Ryan McDonagh (New York Rangers), Leo Komarov (Toronto Maple Leafs), Ryan O’Reilly (Buffalo Sabres) Mark Giordano (Calgary), James Neal (Nashville), Vladimir Tarasenko (St. Louis)
One-timer Passer Jaromir Jagr (Florida) Matt Duchene (Colorado)
Mini-net Passer Evgeny Kuznetsov (Washington) Jamie Benn (Dallas)
Puck Control Relay Kris Letang (Pittsburgh) Roman Josi (Nashville)
Stick Handling Dylan Larkin (Detroit Red Wings) Tyler Seguin (Dallas)
Goalie Goals Ben Bishop (Tampa Bay) Devan Dubnyk (Minnesota Wild)

AMP Energy NHL Hardest Shot

Four shooters from each team will test their slap shot skill in a head-to-head match-up. Each player will attempt two shots, with teams alternating after each player. One puck will be placed 30 feet from the center of the net. Each shot will be calculated in miles per hour (mph), with the highest speed of their two shots recorded. Points Available: 5 – The winner of each match-up scores one point; the team with the player who has the fastest speed scores one bonus point.Shooting for the East are Aaron Ekblad (Florida), Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh), Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay), and P.K. Subban (Montreal). Shooting for the West are Dustin Byfuglien (Winnipeg), Tyler Seguin (Dallas), John Scott, and Shea Weber (Nashville).

Discover NHL Shootout

18 skaters and three goaltenders from each team will participate in the three-round shootout. During each two-minute round, six skaters and one goalie from each team will take the ice. Teams will alternate after each shot with each player having a maximum of 10 seconds to take a shot. Players one and three from each team will be designated Discover puck players, each goal scored by these players will count as two points. NHL shootout rules apply to each scoring attempt. Points Available: 1 point for every goal scored; 2 points for every goal scored with a Discover puck.

Round 1:
East: Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh), Jaromir Jagr (Florida), P.K. Subban (Montreal), Ryan O’Reilly (Buffalo), Leo Komarov (Toronto), Aaron Ekblad (Florida), Roberto Luongo (Florida)
West: Patrick Kane (Chicago), Matt Duchene (Colorado), Brent Burns (San Jose), Mark Giordano (Calgary), Vladimir Tarasenko (St. Louis), Daniel Sedin (Vancouver), Devan Dubnyk (Minnesota)

Round 2:
East: Patrice Bergeron (Boston), Nicklas Backstrom (Washington), Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay), Evgeny Kuznetsov (Washington), Ryan McDonagh (New York Rangers), Justin Faulk (Carolina), Braden Holtby (Washington)
West: Joe Pavelski (San Jose), Taylor Hall (Edmonton), Jamie Benn (Dallas), James Neal (Nashville), Johnny Gaudreau (Calgary), Dustin Byfuglien (Winnipeg), John Gibson (Anaheim)

Round 3:
East: Claude Giroux (Philadelphia), Dylan Larkin (Detroit), John Tavares (New York Islanders), Kris Letang (Pittsburgh), Erik Karlsson (Ottawa), Brandon Saad (Columbus), Cory Schneider (New Jersey)
West: John Scott, Shea Weber (Nashville), Tyler Seguin (Dallas), Corey Perry (Anaheim), Drew Doughty (Los Angeles), Roman Josi (Nashville), Pekka Rinne (Nashville)

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