NHL All-Star Game Preview & Expert Insight

The match will take place on Saturday, February 4, with a glut of events back on the cards on Friday, February 3. 

There was a selection process that was split into two parts to determine the squads, with the NHL selecting one player from each team to make up eight players for each squad. The other three were decided via fan votes, with this seeing two players and a goalie for each division voted in. 

The semi-finals have already been decided, with each division in the same conference battling against each-other for their place in the final. The matches will be made up of two 10 minute halves of three-on-three hockey with no standard overtime. A tie will end in a three-round shoot-out. 

The Atlantic Division has made it to the final on three occasions, with the Central Division making it to the final twice. 

Rod Brind'Amour's Metropolitan Division come into the event as the defending champions, and they will hope to become the first side to defend their title in the NHL All-Star Game in the current format. Alex Ovechkin is arguably the top player in the squad having become the second highest goalscorer in the NHL. Sydney Crosby is another big name after his standout performances for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Atlantic Division have achieved a lot of attention as the Boston Bruins currently boast a nine point lead in the battle for the Presidents' Trophy at the time of writing. David Pastrnak is a real standout player in the goalscoring charts with 38 and fourth with 71 points. Linus Ullmark has also excelled, with the goaltender in fine form this year. 

The Central Division can look to the Stanley Cup champions and could fill a line with three from the Colorado Avalanche, with Cale Makar taking his place alongside Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon both winning a fan vote to be included. 

Finally, the Pacific Division will provide a lot of offesive power as they can look to the leading points scorers in each of the last three seasons in the NHL. Leon Draisaitl won the Art Ross Trophy in 2019/20, while Connor McDavid has snatched the award four times across his career, as well as twice in the last two seasons. 

The NHL All-Star Game is promising to be yet another feast of the greatest action as the best players in the game look to help their Division to clinch the title.