NHL All-Star captains Daniel Alfredsson and Zdeno Chara selected the two squads on Thursday night. On Friday, the two captains determined who would participate in each of the skills competitions on Saturday night.
Below are descriptions of the events and which All-Stars will be participating for their teams.
Event 1 - Fastest Skater
Five players from each team compete, four All-Star skaters and one rookie. The contest will consist of five preliminary races, with the player posting the fastest time from each team meeting in one final match race. The race format is new this year: one skater from each team is positioned side-by-side on the start line. Both skaters race toward the same end zone, both turn outward, skate to the opposite end zone, turn back and skate past center ice to the finish line. Six team points are available -- one each to the winner of the six individual races.
Participating in the Fastest Skater competition will be:
Team Alfredsson: Kris Letang (backwards), Jonathan Quick (goalie), Carl Hagelin (rookie), Keith Yandle, Erik Karlsson
Team Chara: Brian Campbell (backwards), Jimmy Howard (goalie), Colin Greening (rookie), Phil Kessel, Marian Hossa
Event 2 - Breakaway Challenge
A test of creativity a player can insert into a breakaway, three shooters (one rookie, two All-Stars) and one goaltender from each team will participate. Each skater will attempt three shots -- with no limits. Shooters can start their attempt from anywhere with full access to the offensive zone, including behind the net. NHL penalty shot rules do not apply. Fans in-arena and watching on television in Canada and the United States will be able to vote for their favorite player by texting the number that corresponds to the player of their choice to 81812. The shooter with the highest fan vote will score one point for his team.
Participating in the Breakaway Challenge:
Team Alfredsson: Sean Coutourier (rookie), John Tavares, Logan Coutoure and goaltender Brian Elliott
Team Chara: Ryan Johnson (rookie), Patrick Kane, Corey Perry and goaltender Carey Price
Event 3 - Accuracy Shooting
Four players from each team (one rookie, three All-Stars) will compete, with four additional All-Stars from each team serving as passers. From 25 feet in front of the net, a shooter will take aim at four foam targets attached to the inner side of the goal posts, one target in each corner. The objective is to hit all targets in the fastest time. The player with the fastest time from each team will go head-to-head in the final round for the title of the NHL's most accurate shooter. Five team points are available, one to the winner of each individual match-up
Participating in the Accuracy Shooting:
Team Alfredsson: Matt Read (rookie), Jason Spezza, Steven Stamkos, Daniel Sedin. Passing to that quartet will be Alexander Edler, Dan Girardi, Claude Giroux and Henrik Sedin
Team Chara: Cody Hodgson (rookie), Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, Marian Hossa. Passing to that quarter will be Phil Kessel, Ryan Suter, Jordan Eberle and Brian Campbell.
Event 4 - Skills Challenge Relay
A new event in 2011, this event will feature 16 players from each team (two rookies, 14 All-Stars) and showcase a host of skills that include the "one-timer," passing, puck control, stick-handling and accuracy shooting.
In the "one-timer" event, three shooters (with the assistance of one passer) must score three goals over an eight-inch barrier. In the passing event, one passer must complete a pass into each of six nets placed around the rink. In the puck control event, one skater will skate through a series of cones while keeping possession of the puck. In the stickhandling event, one skater will control the puck through a series of obstacles; and in the accuracy shooting event, one player will take aim at four targets.
Two groups from each team will go through the relay -- one from each team in a pair of heats. Each skill must be completed before moving on to the next skill in this timed relay event worth a total of three points. The fastest team in each heat will earn one point and the team with the fastest combined time will earn one bonus point.
Participants in the Skills Challenge Replay:
Team Alfredsson: Group 1: Nick Johnson (one-time passer), Shea Weber, Kris Letang and Steven Stamkos (one-time right-handed shooters), Henrik Sedin (passing accuracy), Milan Michalek (puck control), Logan Coutoure (stick-handling), James Neal (target shooter); Group 2: Alexander Edler (one-time passer), Scott Hartnell, John Tavares and Keith Yandle (one-time left-handed shooters), Daniel Sedin (passing accuracy), Craig Smith (puck control), Claude Giroux (stick-handling)
Team Chara: Group 1: Ryan Suter (one-time passer), Dennis Wideman, Jarome Iginla and Joffrey Lupul (one-time right-handed shooters), Patrick Kane (passing accuracy), Pavel Datsyuk (puck control), Gabriel Landeskog (stick-handling), Marian Gaborik (target shooter); Group 2: Jordan Eberle (one-time passer), Dion Phaneuf, Zdeno Chara and Jamie Benn (one-time left-handed shooters), Kimmo Timonen (passing accuracy), Rapheal Diaz (puck control), Evgeni Malkin (stick-handling)
Event 5 - Hardest Shot
Team Captain Zdeno Chara of the Boston Bruins has broke and improved on the record (105.9 mph) in two of the last three seasons. Four players from each team (one rookie, three All-Stars) will compete in five head-to-head matchups. One contestant from each team will square off in each round, valued at one point each. The highest recorded shot (by radar in mph) of two attempts will be scored. The player from each team with the hardest single shot will meet in a final match to determine the NHL's hardest shooter. Five team points are available -- one to the winner of each of the four preliminary matchups and one to the winner of the finale.
Participating in the Hardest Shot:
Team Alfredsson: Justin Faulk (rookie), Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza and Shea Weber
Team Chara: Luke Adam (rookie), Dennis Wideman, Dion Phaneuf and defending champion Zdeno Chara
Event 6 - Elimination Shootout
The skills competition-deciding event, 15 participants from each side (one rookie, 11 All-Stars, three goaltenders), compete in a survivor-style shootout. Shooters who score will move on to the next round in the shootout, with the All-Star goaltenders rotating after every third shooter. The event will continue until one player scores and the other(s) do not in a single round -- last goal wins. Every goal scored will count as one point for the goal-scorer's team.
Participating in the Elimination Shootout:
Team Alfredsson: Carl Hagelin (rookie), Steven Stamkos, John Tavares, Jason Spezza, Claude Giroux, Daniel Alfredsson, James Neal, Milan Michalek, Jason Pominville, Kris Letang, Erik Karlsson, Daniel Sedin and goaltenders Henrik Lundqvist, Brian Elliott and Jonathan Quick.
Team Chara: Colin Greening (rookie), Pavel Datsyuk, Evgeni Malkin, Corey Perry, Tyler Seguin, Marian Gaborik, Patrick Kane, Jarome Iginla, Jamie Benn, Joffrey Lupul, Kimmo Timonen, Ryan Suter and goaltenders Carey Price, Tim Thomas and Jimmy Howard
You can find everything you need to know on the 2012 NHL All-Star Weekend in our StoryStream.