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theScore's guide to the NHL All-Star Skills Competition

Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images Sport / Getty

2018 NHL All-Star Skills Competition
Where:
Amalie Arena, Tampa Bay, Fla.
When: Saturday, Jan. 27, 7 p.m. ET
TV: NBCSN (U.S.); CBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports (Canada)

There's more than bragging rights on the line at this year's All-Star Skills Competition.

This time, the winners of each event will take home a cool $25,000. It's the first of many steps taken to move the focus of the competition from the best team back to the best players.

Players were handpicked for each event by the NHL's Department of Player Safety, and it isn't based on what division they play for.

Fans will be treated to a couple of new events and some tweaks to past competitions. Here's a rundown of what you can expect Saturday night, including each event's participants.

Save Streak

This new one is for the goalies.

Five goalies and all 36 skaters will take part in a shootout competition in which goalies will look to make the most consecutive saves.

Each one will face the nine skaters from one division. Players will shoot in order of their numbers from lowest to highest, with team captains shooting last. If the captain fails to score, the shooters will go again in the same order until a goal is scored.

If two or more goalies are tied for the longest streak, the goalie who made the most overall saves will be crowned the winner.

Participants

Passing Challenge

Who can feather the most accurate saucer pass? That'll be the focus of the newly minted passing challenge.

Eight players will take part in a three-part challenge that will include passes to targets, passes to players as part of four give-and-goes, and passes over a barricade into mini nets. Each part of the challenge must be completed successfully before the player can move on to the next one.

The fastest total time wins.

Participants

Accuracy Shooting

This year's accuracy contest will be noticeably different from previous editions.

Eight players will take their usual spot (25 feet out from the net), but unlike previous years, they'll have five LED targets that light up randomly for three seconds, instead of the stationary foam targets. The players have to hit the lit-up target before it goes dark. They keep going until all five targets are hit.

The player who hits all five in the fastest time wins.

Participants

Fastest Skater

It's exactly as it sounds.

Eight skaters will race to clock the fastest lap around the rink. Players can decide what direction they want to go in, and have the chance to start a maximum of three feet behind the starting line (center line), with their time starting once they cross the line.

Participants

Puck Control Relay

The puck control relay is the puckhandling version of the passing challenge.

Eight players will go through three stations: 1) Stickhandling through a series of pucks in a straight line, 2) Stickhandling through a series of pylons in a zig-zag, and 3) Shooting or guiding the puck through a lit-up rung at the gate.

The player to complete the course the fastest wins.

Participants

Hardest Shot

Six players will have two rounds of two shots each from 30 feet out to muster up their hardest shot.

Following the first round, players will shoot again in order of slowest to fastest shot, with the hardest shot taking all the glory.

With no Shea Weber or Zdeno Chara in attendance this year, the field should be wide open.

Participants

All-Star rosters

(Note: * indicates team captain)

Atlantic Division

Player (Position) Team
Brad Marchand (F) Bruins
Jack Eichel (F) Sabres
Aleksander Barkov (F) Panthers
Steven Stamkos* (F) Lightning
Nikita Kucherov (F) Lightning
Brayden Point (F) Lightning
Auston Matthews (F) Maple Leafs
Erik Karlsson (D) Senators
Mike Green (D) Red Wings
Carey Price (G) Canadiens
Andrei Vasilevskiy (G) Lightning

Metropolitan Division

Player (Position) Team
Brian Boyle (F) Devils
Josh Bailey (F) Islanders
John Tavares (F) Islanders
Claude Giroux (F) Flyers
Sidney Crosby (F) Penguins
Alex Ovechkin* (F) Capitals
Noah Hanifin (D) Hurricanes
Zach Werenski (D) Blue Jackets
Kris Letang (D) Penguins
Henrik Lundqvist (G) Rangers
Braden Holtby (G) Capitals

Central Division

Player (Position) Team
Patrick Kane (F) Blackhawks
Nathan MacKinnon (F) Avalanche
Tyler Seguin (F) Stars
Eric Staal (F) Wild
Brayden Schenn (F) Blues
Blake Wheeler (F) Jets
John Klingberg (D) Stars
Alex Pietrangelo (D) Blues
P.K. Subban* (D) Predators
Pekka Rinne (G) Predators
Connor Hellebuyck (G) Jets

Pacific Division

Player (Position) Team
Rickard Rakell (F) Ducks
Johnny Gaudreau (F) Flames
Connor McDavid* (F) Oilers
Anze Kopitar (F) Kings
Brock Boeser (F) Canucks
James Neal (F) Golden Knights
Oliver Ekman-Larsson (D) Coyotes
Drew Doughty (D) Kings
Brent Burns (D) Sharks
Mike Smith (G) Flames
Marc-Andre Fleury (G) Golden Knights

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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