Just because the NHL regular season is off this weekend doesn’t mean hockey bettors can’t get in on the action.
The NHL All-Star Game is at the home office for hockey, Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Bettors can take their shot at which team will win the three-game format or which elite player will claim the $1 million prize as part of the revamped skills competition.
Here’s a look at the odds and format for the NHL All-Star Game.
All NHL odds used for the All-Star weekend come from DraftKings Sportsbook and are current as of 9 a.m. ET on Feb. 2, 2024.
NHL All-Star Game Odds
- Moneyline: Team MacKinnon (-110) vs Team McDavid (-110); Team Hughes (-105) vs Team Matthews (-115)
- Total Goals Over/Under: Over 11.5 (-110)/Under (-110); Over 11.5 (-110)/Under (-110)
- Champion: Team Matthews: (+260), MacKinnon (+275), McDavid (+275), Hughes (+275)
The NHL brought back the player draft, which took place Thursday night. Host captain Auston Matthews loaded his roster with fellow Toronto Maple Leafs Morgan Rielly, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander. Team Matthews will also have elite goaltending in Jake Oettinger and 2022 Vezina winner Igor Shesterkin.
Matthews will square off against Team Hughes, which initially was captained by Devils center Jack Hughes before his brother, Quinn, took over. Quinn chose four of his teammates, Brock Boeser, Elias Pettersson, J.T. Miller, and goalie Thatcher Demko.
Team MacKinnon is captained by Hart Trophy Odds favorite Nathan MacKinnon, and he chose Colorado Avalanche teammates Cale Makar and Alexandar Georgiev. MacKinnon also chose fellow Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia native Sidney Crosby.
MacKinnon’s team will meet reigning Hart Trophy winner Connor McDavid, who took teammate and fellow MVP Leon Draisaitl and Bruins forward David Pastrňák.
NHL All-Star Game Best Bet
Team MacKinnon Wins All-Star Game (+275) at DraftKings Sportsbook
McDavid’s team may have more speed, and Matthews’ squad will have the hometown advantage. But MacKinnon’s team is loaded, keyed by Makar and Crosby and in goal by Jeremy Swayman of the Boston Bruins.
MacKinnon’s team may lack the familiarity of clubs loaded with NHL teammates. But in a matchup of skill, I’ll take MacKinnon, Makar, Crosby, and many others as my NHL pick of the day.
NHL All-Star Skills Competition Best Bet
Connor McDavid Wins NHL Skills Competition (+600) at DraftKings
When in doubt, pick the best player to win. McDavid is the favorite, and with the opportunity to win the inaugural overall skills competition the Oilers superstar and three-time Hart winner should have added incentive to win.
Plus, McDavid has a leg up on the competition based on his skill as the fastest skater in the league.
At these odds, it’s absolutely worth betting on McDavid.
How the NHL All-Star Game Works
The NHL updated its All-Star format in 2016 to feature three 20-minute games, two semifinals, and one championship game. Four captains were chosen by the fans, and the league brought back the fantasy draft format in 2024 — which it used from 2011-15 — where each captain would pick his team.
The winners of each semifinal game will play in the championship, where the winning team will share $1 million.
The skills competition is annually held on the eve of the All-Star Game, and it has a new format for 2024 too. The league chose 12 players to compete in eight categories, and the player with the best score earns $1 million.
