Sidney Crosby represents the Pittsburgh Penguins at the NHL All-Star Game.
The NHL All-Star weekend concludes with a 3-on-3 tournament between the divisions, and Sidney Crosby is the lone Pittsburgh Penguins representative in the festivities. Led by Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, the Metropolitan Division looks to take home the $1 million prize split between the winning division's roster, and bragging rights as the top division in the league. Here's what to watch for in the 2023 NHL All-Star Game.
1. Sid and Ovi Continue to Team Up
The Skills Competition portion of All-Star weekend was generally underwhelming. The most wholesome and entertaining part of the evening was during the shootout contest. Crosby and Ovechkin joined forces with Ovechkin's son, Sergei, to score a goal on Hall of Famer Roberto Luongo and win the contest.
Unfortunately young Sergei won't be suiting up for the All-Star Game, but Sid and Ovi will get another chance to team up. The two faces of the league since 2005 will get many chances in this contest to share the ice and wreak havoc on the opposing goaltenders.
2. Who Will Take Home MVP Honors?
The All-Star Game features two semi-final matchups: Pacific vs. Central and Metropolitan vs. Atlantic. The winners of those matchups meet in the final, with the winner of that game taking home the million dollar prize. Last season, Claude Giroux was awarded the Most Valuable Player, with four points in two games. In addition to his share of the winner's pool, Giroux was also the recipient of brand new Honda Passport. Who will take it home this year?
3. Can the Metro Division Repeat?
Last year, the Metropolitan Division took home the championship on the back of Giroux's performance. Giroux has departed the division, but their roster is still stacked. Penguins captain Crosby is making his fifth all-star appearance (ninth selection) and Ovechkin is making his eighth. Joining them are fellow superstars Johnny Gaudreau, Jack Hughes, and. Adam Fox. They're also backstopped by two of the best goaltenders in the league, Igor Shesterkin and Ilya Sorokin.
In a sea of All-Star players, the Metro division roster stands out, but are not the favorites. The favorites have to be the Atlantic Division. They have one of the top three goal scorers in the league in David Pastrnak and the top assist producer in the league, Nikita Kucherov. Any team has a great chance, but the Atlantic Division has a leg up on the rest.
The NHL All-Star Game starts at 3:00 p.m.
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