One of the NHL All-Star Skills competition’s most anticipated events is known to be the Fastest Skater Competition. The event features some of the league’s fastest skaters, as they complete a lap around the ice as fast as they can. Each player is permitted just one attempt, with the winner being awarded to whichever player recorded the fastest lap time.
Once again this year, Connor McDavid is amongst the eight skaters competing in the Fastest Skater challenge. He comes in as a three-time victor, having won consecutively between 2017-19. While McDavid is a clear-cut favourite to win his record-setting fourth-fastest skater competition, not every All-Star would bet on the Oilers superstar this time around.
Two of the Vegas Golden Knights All-Star selections, Alex Pietrangelo and captain Mark Stone, decided not to pick their All-Star Game teammate to be crowned the league’s fastest skater. “I’ll go with [Dylan] Larkin,” the Golden Knights captain said. “I’ve chased him around the rink a few times.”
The Vegas defender picked the Detroit Red Wings captain to win the competition for what could be the second time in his career.
In Nashville, Tennessee during the 2016 NHL All-Star Skills Competition, Larkin not only beat out Connor McDavid in the Fastest Skater competition, but he made history in the process. He recorded a stellar time of 13.172 seconds on his lap, which beat out the previous record formerly set by Mike Gartner. In his second All-Star Game appearance at the skills competition, players are excited to see what he has in store in Las Vegas.
“It’s a pretty good list,” Stone said ahead of the event. “There’s a lot of good guys who I think can win, but I think I’m going to pick Larkin. I think he’s a pretty powerful, pretty large stride, a fast stride, so he’s got a chance to break the record, and I think he can win for sure.”
Alongside Larkin and McDavid, competing at the 2022 Fastest Skater Challenge presented by Verizon will be Evgeni Kuznetsov (Washington Capitals), Jordan Kyrou (St. Louis Blues), Cale Makar (Colorado Avalanche), Chris Kreider (New York Rangers), Kyle Connor (Winnipeg Jets), and Adrian Kempe (L.A. Kings).