Fansided

NHL All-Star Game 2017: Winners, losers from weekend

By Dave Stevenson

Jan 28, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Anaheim Ducks forward Ryan Kesler (17) with son Ryker Kesler during the four line challenge in the 2017 NHL All Star Game skills competition at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 28, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Anaheim Ducks forward Ryan Kesler (17) with son Ryker Kesler during the four line challenge in the 2017 NHL All Star Game skills competition at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 5
Next
Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /

Loser: Nathan MacKinnon

Nathan MacKinnon was the lone NHL All-Star Game representative from the Colorado Avalanche. As the last place team in the NHL, Colorado hasn’t had much to cheer about this season. MacKinnon didn’t give them too much to cheer about after a very rough Skills Competition.

To be fair, the young star was dealt a terrible hand. First, he had to race against Connor McDavid in the Fastest Skater competition. MacKinnon is lightning fast, but the Edmonton Oilers captain is a whole new level of fast. McDavid smoked him, making the Avalanche star’s very respectable time of 13.62 look worse.

Next, MacKinnon was a last minute replacement for P.K. Subban in the Hardest Shot competition. Colorado’s forward is not well suited for the event and it showed. He barely even hit 90 miles per hour. That’s a heck of a lot better than most people could do, but his shots were the least hard of anyone in the competition.

While MacKinnon’s weekend didn’t go well, this doesn’t change how good he is. He’s one of the NHL’s brightest young stars and he’ll be going to more All-Star Games in the future. But MacKinnon will have to improve upon his performance in the Skills Competition.

Home/NHL