With the news that the NHL would be ditching the “Breakaway Challenge” from the All-Star Skills Competition, a new event would be needed to take its place. On Thursday, the league announced the format of the skills competition and the addition of a new event, the “Four Line Challenge.”
In short, it’s the NHL’s version of the “Three-Point Contest” in the NBA’s All-Star weekend. Four shooters from each team will shoot at four different positions: the closest blue line, the center red line, the farthest blue line, and the farthest goal line. Points will be awarded for location — which is specific to the position — and teams can substitute their final shooter for a goalie!
Also, the first All-Star to score two goals in the specified location will be awarded a new 2017 Honda CRV.
It’s certainly no substitute for the Breakaway Challenge, but there are some interesting elements here. Mostly the addition of goaltenders for the event, which adds a certain novelty to the challenge and hopefully a bit of fun.
Also announced by the NHL were the addition of a celebrity shootout — it is Los Angeles, after all — of hockey legends against celebrities. Musician Robin Thicke — the son of late actor and hockey fan Alan Thicke — will be participating in the event. The rest of the celebrity rosters will be announced by the NHL next week with the event taking place Saturday, Jan. 28 at 5:15 p.m. ET.