Hagelin in NHL Fastest Skater event
Rangers players get All-Star Skills Competition assignments for Saturday
Friday, 01.27.2012 / 5:36 PM
/ News
NHL.com
PrintThe National Hockey League has announced All-Star and rookie assignments for Saturday night's 2012 Molson Canadian NHL All-Star Skills Competition at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa.
A fan favourite that has showcased hockey’s top talent at NHL All-Star Weekend since 1990, the event will be broadcast live on CBC and RDS in Canada and the NBC Sports Network in the United States at 7 p.m., ET.
Team Alfredsson, captained by forward Daniel Alfredsson of the All-Star host Ottawa Senators, will compete against Team Chara, led by Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara, throughout the night for points in the overall team vs. team competition. Individual champions also will be crowned.
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| Henrik Lundqvist and Daniel Alfredsson spent part of the day on Friday picking the Team Alfredsson lineup for Saturday's All-Star Skills Competition. |
- Bridgestone NHL Fastest Skater
- Allstate Insurance NHL Breakaway Challenge
- Canadian Tire NHL Accuracy Shooting
- G Series NHL Skills Challenge Relay
- BlackBerry NHL Hardest Shot
- Tim Hortons NHL Elimination Shootout
The order of participation will be determined by the captains just before the start of each event. Each All-Star will be involved in no more than three events, excluding the Tim Hortons NHL Elimination Shootout finale.
A list of the events and competitors follows:
Bridgestone NHL Fastest Skater -- order determined on the ice
| Team Alfredsson | Team Chara |
| Kris Letang, PIT (backwards) | Brian Campbell, FLA (backwards) |
| Jonathan Quick, LA (goaltender) | Jimmy Howard, DET (goaltender) |
| Carl Hagelin, NYR (rookie) | Colin Greening, OTT (rookie) |
| Keith Yandle, PHX | Phil Kessel, TOR |
| Erik Karlsson, OTT | Marian Hossa, CHI |
2012 WINNER -- Carl Hagelin, New York Rangers (Hagelin is first Blueshirts player to win since Mike Gartner)
Event description: Five players from each team compete, four All-Stars and one rookie. The contest will consist of five preliminary races, with the player posting the fastest time from each team meeting in one final match race. The race format is new this year: one skater from each team is positioned side-by-side on the start line. Both skaters race toward the same end zone, both turn outward, skate to the opposite end zone, turn back and skate past center ice to the finish line. Six team points are available -- one each to the winner of the six individual races.
Allstate Insurance NHL Breakaway Challenge
| Team Alfredsson | Team Chara |
| Sean Couturier, PHI (rookie) | Ryan Johansen, CBJ (rookie) |
| John Tavares, NYI | Patrick Kane, CHI |
| Logan Couture, SJ | Corey Perry, ANA |
| Brian Elliott, STL (goaltender) | Carey Price, MTL (goaltender) |
2012 WINNER -- Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks
Event description: A test of creativity a player can insert into a breakaway, three shooters (one rookie, two All-Stars) and one goaltender from each team will participate. Each skater will attempt three shots – with no limits. Shooters can start their attempt from anywhere with full access to the offensive zone, including behind the net. NHL penalty shot rules do not apply. Fans in-arena and watching on television in Canada and the United States will be able to vote for their favorite player by texting the number that corresponds to the player of their choice to 81812. The shooter with the highest fan vote will score one point for his team.
Canadian Tire NHL Accuracy Shooting -- order determined on the ice
| Team Alfredsson | Team Chara |
| Shooters | Shooters |
| Matt Read, PHI (rookie) | Cody Hodgson, VAN (rookie) |
| Jason Spezza, OTT | Tyler Seguin, BOS |
| Steven Stamkos, TB | Jamie Benn, DAL |
| Daniel Sedin, VAN | Marian Hossa, CHI |
| Passers | Passers |
| Alex Edler, VAN | Phil Kessel, TOR |
| Dan Girardi, NYR | Ryan Suter, NSH |
| Claude Giroux, PHI | Jordan Eberle, EDM |
| Henrik Sedin, VAN | Brian Campbell, FLA |
2012 WINNER -- Jamie Benn, Dallas Stars
Event description: Four players from each team (one Rookie, three All-Stars) will compete, with four additional All-Stars from each team serving as passers. From 25 feet in front of the net, a shooter will take aim at four foam targets attached to the inner side of the goalposts, one target in each corner. The objective is to hit all targets in the fastest time. The player with the fastest time from each team will go head-to-head in the final round for the title of the NHL’s most accurate shooter. Five team points are available, one to the winner of each individual matchup.
G Series NHL Skills Challenge Relay
| Team Alfredsson | Team Chara |
| Group 1 | Group 1 |
| Nick Johnson, MIN (one-time passer) | Ryan Suter, NSH (one-time passer) |
| Shea Weber, NSH (one-timer RH) | Dennis Wideman, WSH (one-timer RH) |
| Kris Letang, PIT (one-timer RH) | Jarome Iginla, CGY (one-timer RH) |
| Steven Stamkos, TB (one-timer RH) | Joffrey Lupul, TOR (one-timer RH) |
| Henrik Sedin, VAN (passing accuracy) | Patrick Kane, CHI (passing |
| Milan Michalek, OTT (puck control) | Pavel Datsyuk, DET (puck control) |
| Logan Couture, SJ (stick handling) | Gabriel Landeskog, COL (stick handling) |
| James Neal, PIT (target shooter) | Marian Gaborik, NYR (target shooter) |
| Group 2 | Group 2 |
| Alexander Edler, VAN (one-time passer) | Jordan Eberle, EDM (one-time passer) |
| Keith Yandle, PHX (one-timer LH) | Dion Phaneuf, TOR (one-timer LH) |
| Scott Hartnell, PHI (one-timer LH) | Zdeno Chara, BOS (one-timer LH) |
| John Tavares, NYI (one-timer LH) | Jamie Benn, DAL (one-timer LH) |
| Daniel Sedin, VAN (passing accuracy) | Kimmo Timonen, PHI (passing accuracy) |
| Craig Smith, NSH (puck control) | Raphael Diaz, MTL (puck control) |
| Claude Giroux, PHI (stick handling) | Evgeni Malkin, PIT (stick handling) (stick handling) |
| Jason Pominville, BUF (target shooter) | Phil Kessel, TOR (target shooter) |
2012 WINNER: Team Alfredsson wins both Group 1 and Group 2 to sweep event
Event description: Introduced to acclaim in 2011, this event will feature 16 players from each team (two Rookies, 14 All-Stars) and showcase a host of skills that include the 'one-timer,' passing, puck control, stick-handling and accuracy shooting. In the 'one-timer' event, three shooters (with the assistance of one passer) must score three goals over an eight inch barrier; in the passing event, one passer must complete a pass into each of six nets placed around the rink; in the puck control event, one skater will skate through a series of cones while keeping possession of the puck; in the stick handling event, one skater will control the puck through a series of obstacles; and in the accuracy shooting event, one player will take aim at four targets. Two groups from each team will go through the relay -- one from each team in a pair of heats. Each skill must be completed before moving on to the next skill in this timed relay event worth a total of three points. The fastest team in each heat will earn one point and the team with the fastest combined time will earn one bonus point.
BlackBerry NHL Hardest Shot -- order determined on the ice
| Team Alfredsson | Team Chara |
| Justin Faulk, CAR (rookie) | Luke Adam, BUF (rookie) |
| Daniel Alfredsson, OTT | Dennis Wideman, WSH |
| Jason Spezza, OTT | Dion Phaneuf, TOR |
| Shea Weber, NSH | Zdeno Chara, BOS |
2012 WINNER -- Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins
Event description: Fittingly, Team Chara captain Zdeno Chara of the Boston Bruins called his own number in this event. Chara not only won his fourth consecutive NHL Hardest Shot competition in 2011, but his blast of 105.9 mph broke the all-time record of 105.4 he set in 2009. Team Alfredsson, meanwhile, will be anchored by Shea Weber of the Nashville Predators, who recorded a 104.8 mph shot in finishing runner-up to Chara last year. Four players from each team (one Rookie, three All-Stars) will compete in five head-to-head matchups. One contestant from each team will square off in each round, valued at one point each. The highest recorded shot (by radar in mph) of two attempts will be scored. The player from each team with the hardest single shot will meet in a final match to determine the NHL’s hardest shooter. Five team points are available -- one to the winner of each of the four preliminary matchups and one to the winner of the finale.
Tim Hortons NHL Elimination Shootout
| Team Alfredsson | Team Chara |
| Carl Hagelin, NYR (rookie) | Colin Greening, OTT (rookie) |
| Steven Stamkos, TB | Pavel Datsyuk, DET |
| John Tavares, NYI | Evgeni Malkin, PIT |
| Jason Spezza, OTT | Corey Perry, ANA |
| Claude Giroux, PHI | Tyler Seguin, BOS |
| Daniel Alfredsson, OTT | Marian Gaborik, NYR |
| James Neal, PIT | Patrick Kane, CHI |
| Milan Michalek, OTT | Jarome Iginla, CGY |
| Jason Pominville, BUF | Jamie Benn, DAL |
| Kris Letang, PIT | Joffrey Lupul, TOR |
| Erik Karlsson, OTT | Kimmo Timonen, PHI |
| Daniel Sedin, VAN | Ryan Suter, NSH |
| Henrik Lundqvist, NYR (goaltender) | Carey Price, MTL (goaltender) |
| Brian Elliott, STL (goaltender) | Tim Thomas, BOS (goaltender) |
| Jonathan Quick, LA (goaltender) | Jimmy Howard, DET (goaltender) |
2012 INDIVIDUAL WINNER -- Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning
2012 TEAM WINNER -- Team Alfredsson
Event description: The battle between Team Alfredsson and Team Chara will be decided in this competition, when 15 participants from each side (one Rookie, 11 All-Stars, three goaltenders), compete in a time-honored game of “hockey survivor.” Shooters who score will move on to the next round in the shootout, with the All-Star goaltenders rotating after every third shooter. The event will continue until one player scores and the other(s) do not in a single round -- last goal wins. Every goal scored will count as one point for the goal-scorer's team.
2012 NHL ALL-STAR SKILLS COMPETITION WINNER -- Team Alfredsson
