The 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend kicked off with a new format in Toronto on Thursday. For the first time sine 2015, the league held a draft to assign players to their squads.
Capitals forward Tom Wilson will suit up for Team MacKinnon, led by captain Nathan MacKinnon, assistant Cale Makar, and Canadian singer Tate McRae, the team’s celebrity co-captain.
McRae announced Wilson as the team’s fifth-round pick, hoping he’d bring some physicality to the squad.
“They’re saying we need to add some grit, so we’re going to go with Tom Wilson,” McRae said.
Co-host John Buccigross expressed approval of the pick, already imagining the matchup possibilities. “We need somebody who’s going to fight Brady Tkachuk!” he replied.
Not sure how we feel about these team colors…
but that's our babe!!! pic.twitter.com/KSUEJs2N6S
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) February 2, 2024
Other players on Team MacKinnon include Travis Konecny (PHI), Sebastian Aho (CAR), Oliver Bjorkstrand (SEA), Elias Lindholm (VAN), Kirill Kaprizov (MIN), Jeremy Swayman (BOS), and Alexandar Georgiev (COL). They will face Team McDavid as their first opponent Saturday afternoon in the opening game of the 3-on-3 tournament.
Wilson will suit up alongside some familiar faces for the weekend, including longtime rival Sidney Crosby, who MacKinnon had chosen in the first round. Though the pair remain fiercely competitive on the ice, Wilson spoke highly of the Penguins captain earlier in the day.
“Obviously we go at it and we play hard when we’re playing against each other, but he’s a well-respected guy around the league and it’s pretty incredible what he’s able to do,” he told DK Pittsburgh Sports’ Taylor Haase.
The All-Star appearance will mark the second of Wilson’s career and the first in his hometown of Toronto.
“It’s a pretty cool, full-circle moment to be back here,” Wilson said. “It’s been something I’ve been looking forward to.”
Here’s the full press release from the NHL:
All-Star Captains Hughes, MacKinnon, Matthews and McDavid Select All-Star Rosters in 2024 Tim Hortons NHL Player Draft
TORONTO (Feb. 1, 2024) – The 2024 NHL All-Star team captains and celebrity captains have selected their respective rosters in the 2024 Tim Hortons NHL Player Draft, part of NHL All-Star Thursday tonight at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Each team made nine selections from the elite group of 36 All-Stars eligible for selection, completing the four, 11-player All-Star rosters of nine skaters and two goaltenders each.
The four teams will be competing in the 2024 Honda (U.S.) / Rogers (Canada) All-Star Game, which returns as a 3-on-3 tournament on Saturday, Feb. 3 (3 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS). Under tournament rules, the game will be divided into three 20-minute games.
Team Hughes, co-captained by Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes and younger brother New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes (who will miss the game due to injury), had the first overall pick and selected two-time Stanley Cup champion and NHL scoring leader at the All-Star break, Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov. Canucks forward Elias Pettersson is serving as assistant captain and Michael Bublé as the celebrity captain. Team Hughes will wear red NHL All-Star jerseys.
Team Matthews, captained by Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews, had the second overall pick and selected Toronto teammate and leading scorer, Maple Leafs forward William Nylander. Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly is serving as assistant captain and Justin Bieber as the celebrity captain. Team Matthews will wear blue NHL All-Star jerseys.
Team MacKinnon, captained by Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon, had the third overall pick and selected three-time Stanley Cup champion and MacKinnon’s fellow native Nova Scotian, Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby. Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar is serving as assistant captain and Tate McRae as the celebrity captain. Team MacKinnon will wear yellow NHL All-Star jerseys.
Team McDavid, captained by Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid, had the fourth overall pick and selected Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, the three-time Vezina Trophy finalist and 2020 winner who has backstopped his club to the NHL’s third-best points percentage at the All-Star break. Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl is serving as assistant captain and Will Arnett as celebrity captain. Team McDavid will wear white NHL All-Star jerseys.
Team MacKinnon will face Team McDavid in the first game of Saturday’s tournament, followed by Team Hughes vs. Team Matthews in the second game. The winners will meet in the finale for a winner-take-all, $1 million (USD) prize.
Following are the results of the 2024 Tim Hortons NHL Player Draft:
Team Hughes (All-Star Appearance)
F #6 Brock Boeser, VAN (2nd)
F #7 Brady Tkachuk, OTT (4th)
F #9 J.T. Miller, VAN (1st)
F #40 Elias Pettersson, VAN (4th) (A)
D #43 Quinn Hughes, VAN (2nd) (C)
F #63 Jesper Bratt, NJD (1st)
F #77 Frank Vatrano, ANA (1st)
F #81 Kyle Connor, WPG (2nd)
F #86 Nikita Kucherov, TBL (5th)
G #35 Thatcher Demko, VAN (2nd)
G #39 Cam Talbot, LAK (2nd)Head Coach: Rick Tocchet, VAN (2nd)
Celebrity Captain: Michael Bublé
Team Matthews (All-Star appearance)
F #9 Filip Forsberg, NSH (2nd)
F #9 Clayton Keller, ARI (4th)
F #13 Mathew Barzal, NYI (3rd)
F #16 Mitch Marner, TOR (3rd)
F #16 Vincent Trocheck, NYR (2nd)
F #34 Auston Matthews, TOR (5th) (C)
D #44 Morgan Rielly, TOR (1st) (A)
F #88 William Nylander, TOR (1st)
F #93 Alex DeBrincat, DET (2nd)
G #29 Jake Oettinger, DAL (1st)
G #31 Igor Shesterkin, NYR (2nd)Head Coach: Jim Montgomery, BOS (2nd)
Celebrity Captain: Justin Bieber
Team MacKinnon (All-Star appearance)
D #8 Cale Makar, COL (3rd) (A)
F #11 Travis Konecny, PHI (2nd)
F #20 Sebastian Aho, CAR (3rd)
F #22 Oliver Bjorkstrand, SEA (1st)
F #23 Elias Lindholm, VAN (1st)
F #29 Nathan MacKinnon, COL (5th) (C)
F #43 Tom Wilson, WSH (2nd)
F #87 Sidney Crosby, PIT (6th)
F #97 Kirill Kaprizov, MIN (3rd)
G #1 Jeremy Swayman, BOS (1st)
G #40 Alexandar Georgiev, COL (1st)Head Coach: Rick Bowness, WPG (1st)
Celebrity Captain: Tate McRae
Team McDavid (All-Star appearance)
F #13 Sam Reinhart, FLA (1st)
F #14 Nick Suzuki, MTL (3rd)
F #18 Robert Thomas, STL (1st)
D #26 Rasmus Dahlin, BUF (3rd)
F #29 Leon Draisaitl, EDM (5th) (A)
F #38 Boone Jenner, CBJ (1st)
F #48 Tomas Hertl, SJS (2nd)
F #88 David Pastrnak, BOS (4th)
F #97 Connor McDavid, EDM (7th) (C)
G #37 Connor Hellebuyck, WPG (4th)
G #72 Sergei Bobrovsky, FLA (2nd)Head Coach: Peter Laviolette, NYR (4th)
Celebrity Captain: Will Arnett
