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ESPN staff
The NHL all-star weekend 2023 is in progress. The the skill contest is Friday night and the All-Star Match will take place Saturday at the FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, Florida, with coverage beginning at 3 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN+. The first match will pit Central Division against Pacific Division.
Which superstars will dominate the game, which personalities will shine the brightest, and what are we eagerly waiting for? Our council is here to debate these very questions.
What combinations are you most excited to see playing together?
Ryan S. Clark: See if the Central region has Kirill Kaprizov, Nathan MacKinnon And Cale Makar on ice while pacific counter with Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid And Erik Karlsson. Or — and assume this is not a combination — but Bo Horvat have a chance to score in the net Ilya Sorokin will be something.
Emily Kaplan: They won’t be playing at the same time, but I’m looking forward to meeting the Rangers goalkeeper Igor Shesterkin and Islanders goalkeeper Ilya Sorokin interact as teammates. Two Russians play for big NHL rivals, but I think it’s a secret story that they came to North America as extremely good friends. It will be fun to watch them chat on the Metro benches and potentially help each other.
Arda Ocal: I am looking forward to Bo Horvat playing with the Pacific team, because for sure Horvat will intentionally score in his own net or hit Elias Pettersson with a steel chair and took off his Pacific jersey to reveal an nWo shirt.
Kristen Shilton: I would love to see the Atlantic roll out a line David Pastrnak, Mitch Marner And Nikita Kucherov and let them fly away. There’s about a billion billion points between them and just imagine some tic-tac-toe games they could come up with. The most fun part of All-Star Games (I think) is really going into full video game mode, unleashing all your best talents at once and letting them roll.
Greg Wyshynski: NHL told me that Sidney Crosby And Alex Ovechkin are cooperating in some way in a trick shooting contest and that could disrupt the internet. Watching these two stick together at the All-Star Game — sitting together and watching the younger generation play like Statler and Waldorf versions of hockey — has been a real joy in recent years, and not what many of us imagined would happen at the height of the Sid vs. Ovi.
A prediction for the game?
Clark: Someone would call Fort Lauderdale and/or Sunrise “South Beach” when South Beach is an hour’s traffic away and in a different county.
Kaplan: Someone, at some point, will double check.
eagle: Connor McDavid won’t score. Only apples.
Shilton: At least one goalkeeper will successfully make a two-key stack save.
Greg Wyshynski: The jerseys are considered some of the best in the event’s history and have made the hockey world embrace pink, black and light blue as a color combo.
Which division will win and who will be the MVP?
Clark: Team Pacific with Bo Horvat gets MVP, why not?
Kaplan: I’m feeling the division of the Atlantic, with Alexander Barkov MVP. He will be the one to double check.
eagle: The Metropolitan team will win and Ilya Sorokin will be the MVP.
Shilton: I’m going to Atlantic Division, with David Pastrnak getting the MVP love.
Wyshynski: Metropolitan won because coach Rod Brind’Amour couldn’t help but take all of this seriously. Jack Hughes Win the MVP and follow his Las Vegas magic by making his 2024 luxury SUV disappear.
Will players steal the show in ASG?
Clark: Jack Hughes. He is arguably the most dangerous player in the NHL when it comes to the All-Star Game. He only had one game in January without scoring. Otherwise, he would have ended the month with 13 goals and 23 points. Think about that. He scored 26 goals last season and only scored 13 in a month. The way he’s played over the past month and the whole season makes you wonder what he can do at Sunrise.
Kaplan: All Star is a great weekend for players to show off their individuality, as it’s a laid-back environment. So I think some of the funny guys are low (or high, depending on your fan) in the league — Andrei SvechnikovDavid Pastnrak, Artemi PanarinKirill Kaprizov, both Tkahuck brothers — will shine.
eagle: I will choose a goalkeeper. Sorokin will close and make 24 saves over a period of time.
Shilton: I feel like the All-Star Game has always produced some great stuff out of goalkeepers. It’s rare for them to show their individuality on the field (like isn’t there a Michigan target for goalies?) the iceberg ends up on our highlight reel for days.
Wyshynski: Nick Suzuki There are hidden talents that we have never seen.
