Skills Competition

Today features the NHL Skills Competition and YoungStars Game from Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, and I am anxious to see the "new" skills competition. While I haven't interviewed him, I would guess that Cordozar Calvin Broadus Jr., aka Snoop Dogg, would also be pumped for the All-Star Game and Festivities, but I don't think he'll be there. In any case, the Skills Competition has changed, and it sounds like it may have changed for the better. Less players lollygagging around, and more participation from all should make the event a little less monotonous and a little more entertaining.

The Obstacle Course: This event involves three skaters and one goalie per team. Each team will attempt to complete the obstacle course twice under the 45-second allotted time.

Skater 1 starts behind the net in the trapezoid, and must stick-handle his way through a series of coloured pucks in the faceoff circle to the right while controlling a puck. If he loses the puck, he still must complete the course in order for his team to carry on. Once completed, the referee blows his whistle for Skater 2 to begin his leg of the course.

Skater 2 is positioned across the ice from a net at the neutral zone faceoff dot. He must attempt to saucer pass four pucks over a barrier into the net across the width of the ice at the opposite faceoff dot. Once the fourth puck reaches the net, the referee blows his whistle for Skater 3 to begin his leg.

Skater 3 will be standing between the faceoff circle and the blueline. He'll receive four passes from Skater 1, and attempt to one-time each of them into the net at a target. When the fourth shot has been attempted, the referee will blow the whistle for the Goalie to begin the fourth leg.

The Goalie will be standing in the slot between the faceoff circles and fire four shots down the ice to see if he can hit the net in the opposite end of the rink. Skater 3 will be passing the puck to the Goalie.

Teams receive two goals for successfully stick-handling through the puck maze, one goal for each saucer pass that goes into the net, one goal for each one-timer to hit the target, and one goal for each goalie goal. Highest possible goal total for this event is 28 goals.

Fastest Skater: While this is a holdover from previous All-Star Skills Competitions, it has been modified. There will be three skaters per team in this event, and they will compete in four head-to-head races. However, the fastest time is what each player is going for.

The players will race from the goalline to the opposite blueline. The first three races will see one player from the West race one player from the East. The fourth and final race sees the fastest skaters from each team square off. And to be sure there are no disputes about time, winners will be determined by electric eyes that record time in the thousandths of a second.

As a note, those electric eyes failed during last year's Fastest Skater Competition, and there were stopwatches used. Let's hope that the NHL has tested them this year for any bugs or malfunctions before the event starts.

The record for skating around the rink was held by Mike Gartner. Gartner set the record of 13.386 seconds for one lap around the rink in Boston in 1996.

One goal will be given to the team with lowest average time from the first three races, and one additional goal will be awarded to the team with the fastest skater. Highest possible goal total for this event is two goals.

Elimination Shootout: This event will be familiar to everyone as the shootout has become a major part of NHL life. Six shooters and all three goalies square off in this one. Each shooter gets to shoot once to try to score. Each goalie will face two shots.

The initial six shots from the six shooters will determine who moves on to the Elimination Round. If you score, you move on. If you don't, you don't qualify. In the Elimination Round, shooters must continue to score, and goalies must continue to stop them, in order for the event to continue. The last player to score will win this competition. The goalies are forced to alternate rounds.

The team that has the winning shooter will receive two goals. Two goals are the maximum goal amount for this event.

YoungStars Game: The YoungStars Game has gone from a legitimate game to 12-minute exhibition of talent. The game is played three-on-three in two six-minute periods. There are eight "YoungStars" and one All-Star Goalie on each side.

There is one faceoff to start the period, and that's it for puck-drops. It then becomes a game of shinny. After goals, the team that scored must return to the defensive zone before attacking again. If a puck is sent into the crowd, a new puck is awarded to the non-offending team. If a puck is frozen by the goaltender, the attacking team must clear the offensive zone before attacking again. If the puck is iced, or a player goes offside, his team loses possession of the puck.

The only time the clock will stop during the game is if a penalty shot is awarded. Upon the conclusion of the penalty shot, the team who took the shot must tag up in the defensive zone again.

The Western YoungStars are as follows (TEAM-POSITION): Alexander Edler (VAN-D), Erik Johnson (STL-D), Jack Johnson (LAK-D), Matt Niskanen (DAL-D), Sam Gagner (EDM-F), Patrick Kane (CHI-F), Peter Mueller (PHO-F), and David Perron (STL-F).

The Eastern YoungStars are as follows (TEAM-POSITION): Tobias Enstrom (ATL-D), Kris Letang (PIT-D), Mike Lundin (TBL-D), Marc Staal (NYR-D), Niklas Backstrom (WAS-F), Brandon Dubinsky (NYR-F), Dave Clarkson (NJD-F), and Milan Lucic (BOS-F).

The winning team of each period will receive a goal for their team overall. Maximum goals earned in this event is two goals.

Accuracy Shooting: Four styrofoam targets, each 15 inches in diameter, will be at the mercy of the shooters again this year.

The shooter stands 25-feet from the goal line and will receive passes from players stationed to the right and left of the goal posts. The shooter has 18 seconds to shoot up to eight pucks at the four targets. The event ends when he either breaks all four targets or runs out of time. Passes that the shooter can’t handle are considered attempts.

The final round is a head-to-head competition for the most-accurate shooters from each team from the three shooters selected. If two shooters on one team are tied, than the captain will select his shooter for this round. The shooters get nine seconds for four pucks while trying to hit as many as possible. If they are tied, it goes to a shoot-off where players attempt to hit one target in three seconds.

The record for accuracy shooting has been equalled four time by three players. Ray Bourque went 4-for-4 in 1992 and 1993, Mark Messier in 1996, and Jeremy Roenick did it in 2004.

One goal will be awarded to the team that hits the most targets in the fewest shots in the qualifying round, and one goal will be awarded to the team of the shooter who wins the head-to-head challenge. If there are any ties, each team will receive a goal. Maximum goals awarded in this event is two goals.

Hardest Shot: Four shooters. Two shots per shooter. 30-feet from the net. Let 'er rip!

Al Iafrate still holds the record in this event. In 1993, Iafrate recorded a shot that travelled at 105.2 mph with a wood stick. No one else has even broken 103 mph in the history of the Skills Competition.

The team with the best average score in miles-per-hour will receive a goal for his team. The player who records the fastest shot will also score a goal for his team. Maximum goals earned will be two goals.

Breakaway Challenge: This is the "Slam Dunk Competition" for the NHL Skills Competition. There are three shooters and three goalies from each team participating. The shooters can start their routine from anywhere in the offensive zone and take the puck anywhere they want in the offensive zone.

The celebrity panel of judges will be able to rate the moves of the skaters based on creativity, execution and ability to put the puck in the back of the net. They will award anywhere from one to nine points based on this criteria. A shooter can score a perfect ten by scoring the goal after he makes his moves.

In a shootout of the top point-earning shooter from each team, each shooter will get two more attempts to dazzle the crowd, and more importantly, the judges. The shooter with the highest single score from one of his attempts wins. Cue up the VCRs and DVRs because I guarantee you that there will be some mind-blowing moves in this event.

The team with the best average score in the qualifying round will be awarded a goal, and the team of the shooter who wins the final will receive a goal. In the event of any ties, both teams will receive a goal. Maximum goals earned in this event is two goals.

Last year, the Eastern Conference won the Skills Competition, but this year's West squad appears to have a slight advantage with some of the bigger Eastern Conference stars missing out.

Kick back, relax, grab a beverage, and enjoy tonight's Dodge/NHL Skills Competition. It looks like it should be entertaining, and it should provide a pile of highlights, especially from the Breakaway Challenge.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!