Canucks' Pettersson to compete for $1 million prize at NHL All-Star Game
The 2024 NHL All-Star festivities will have more on the line for Vancouver Canucks superstar Elias Pettersson.
The NHL announced on Saturday that the Swede would be participating in the NHL All-Star Skills Competition alongside players like Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and Auston Matthews.
The competition will look a bit different than in years past. Only 12 players will be participating this year and will compete against each other for the chance at a $1 million grand prize.
Here's the first batch of entrants in the All Stars Skills Competition for $1M
Connor McDavid, EDM
Leon Draisaitl, EDM
Jack Hughes, NJ
Nikita Kucherov, TB
David Pastrnak, BOS
Auston Matthews, TOR
William Nylander, TOR
Nathan MacKinnon, COL
Cale Makar, COL
Elias Pettersson, VAN— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) January 13, 2024
Canucks fans will be able to get a good look at just how Pettersson stacks up among the NHL’s elite. Each player will participate in a gauntlet of skill-testing events including classics like hardest shot, fastest skater, and accuracy shooting as well as new events that test out one-timer ability and precision passing.
It might be forgotten just how much Pettersson has impressed at previous Skills Competitions. The Canucks sniper is the defending champion of the hardest shot event, rocketing an incredible 103.2 miles per hour shot at the 2023 competition, which beat legendary Washington Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin.
TIME FOR HARDEST SHOT
Elias Pettersson clocks in a 103.2mph BOMB to win hardest shot 🏒💥 pic.twitter.com/G0bEfKF2t5
— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) February 4, 2023
Considering Pettersson’s 22 goals in 43 games this season, there is also reason to believe that he will do just fine in the accuracy shooting competition as well. The fastest skater might be a bit difficult with the likes of McDavid and MacKinnon competing, but it wouldn’t be wise to count him out.
Vancouver will have an eye-popping five players participating in All-Star weekend with all of Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, Thatcher Demko, J.T. Miller, and Brock Boeser headed to Toronto.
At the moment, Pettersson is the only Canucks player slated to participate in the Skills Competition. However, Quinn Hughes is also in the running to fill one of the two remaining spots in a fan vote.
Fans can cast their vote for Hughes, or whoever they want to see at the Skills Competition, by visiting the NHL website.
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