NHL to scrap All-Star ‘Breakaway Challenge’ starting this year, per report

One of the more fun NHL All-Star events will be going by the wayside. According to Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet, the NHL will be doing away with the “Breakaway Challenge” of the All-Star Skills Competition starting this year in Los Angeles.

Kypreos reports that the “Breakaway Challenge” is not on this year’s skills competition list, a first since 2008.

The “Breakaway Challenge” was best known for its incredible hijinks through the last six All-Star Games. Past years saw fun getups like Alex Ovechkin in sunglasses and Brent Burns in a Chewbacca mask. The Flying V of Mighty Ducks fame made an appearance one year as well.

Maybe the best of the bunch involved Jake Voracek, Johnny Gaudreau, and some kids from the All-Star weekend in 2015.

Honestly, the challenge was one of the better aspects of the skills competition. Shootouts might be a gimmick to many now, but the creativity the players have continued to produce during this event was oftentimes the highlight of the weekend.

Kypreos, however, didn’t see it that way.

"The only ones disappointed that this stuff is gone are children under nine and Elliotte Friedman," said Kypreos.