The 2024 National Hockey League (NHL) All-Star weekend has kicked off and it’s shaping up to be a busy one for hockey fans as festivities take over Toronto. From free events to road closures, here’s what to expect in the days ahead.
NHL ALL-STARS COMPETITION AND FRIDAY EVENTS
The NHL All-Stars competition kicked off at 7 p.m. on Friday at the Scotiabank Arena. It included 12 players who battled for points across eight events.
Connor McDavid, who has been named the most valuable player (MVP) three times so far in his career, took home the $1 million skills competition prize. He claimed first place in stick-handling and speed skating events before going on to win an accuracy shooting competition.
Also on Friday, the Professional Women’s Hockey League had an open practice on the Nathan Phillips Square rink, showcasing players Renata Fast, Jocelyn Larocque, Sarah Nurse and Blayre Turnbull.
SATURDAY
From 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., players from the Toronto Gay Hockey Association competed for the Pride Cup Trophy. The teams were coached by Brian Burke, who is the executive director of the Professional Women’s Hockey League Players Association (PWHLPA), and former NHL player and Stanley Cup champion Andrew Ference. Dre Barone officiated the game as the first openly gay male to do so.
The NHL Creator Skills event took place from 11:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., which included hockey Youtuber Nasher, Zach Bell, Pavel Barber, Coach Chippy, and other hockey content creators across North America. They competed in a three-on-three tournament and showcase trick shots and skills.
The NHL All-Star game starts at 3 p.m. at the Scotiabank arena. It features four teams, playing a 3-on-3 format which was adopted by the NHL over its traditional 2-team format. The captains picked their teams on Feb. 1.
SUNDAY
The 2024 Hyundai NHL Fan Fair will end the weekend at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre South Building from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Tickets are required.
TTC AND ROAD CLOSURES
There will be no service on TTC Line 2 between Warden and Kennedy stations for track work on Saturday and Sunday. Shuttle buses will be running, and service is expected to resume at 6 a.m. Monday morning. In addition, numerous roads are closed this weekend as part of ongoing city closures. A full list of the closures can be found here.
