Here are some parts of the official announcement from NHL.com. Click on the link to read the full article.
Who do you think has the hardest shot, Zdeno Chara or Sheldon Souray?
The NHL will let those two hulking defensemen figure it out on their own Saturday night in Montreal, but don’t be surprised if Vinny Lecavalier, Mike Komisarek, Shea Weber or Mark Streit crash the party.
All six players will be firing away for the title as the NHL’s most lethal shooter in the Cisco NHL Hardest Shot competition, one of six events that will take place Saturday night at the Bell Centre as part of the 2009 Honda/NHL SuperSkills.
The hardest shot ever in the NHL SuperSkills came off of Al Iafrate’s stick in 1993. The Washington Capitals defenseman unloaded a 105.2 mph blast at the Montreal Forum.
Komisarek is not a scorer, but when he puts his 6-foot-4, 240-pound body behind a slap shot, he can rip it pretty good.
Before Souray and Chara duel in the Hardest Shot, the speed burners will open the Honda/NHL SuperSkills evening.
Philadelphia forward Jeff Carter figured he would be invited to participate in the Fastest Skater competition because it best served him, and he got what he expected.
Carter will go against New Jersey‘s Zach Parise, Chicago‘s Brian Campbell and Florida‘s Jay Bouwmeester in the event in which the players will complete one full lap around the ice. They’ll all be chasing Mike Gartner’s record time of 13.386, a mark he set in 1996. Gartner was a two-time winner of this event.
The second event of the night could very well provide the seminal moment of NHL All-Star Weekend in Montreal. It’s the Breakaway Challenge with five known danglers in the running.
Alex Ovechkin is back to defend his title, but he’ll have a tough crop to beat in Ryan Getzlaf, Alex Kovalev, Sidney Crosby and Patrick Kane.
This event is all about imagination. It’s supposed to be a spectacle and the best part about it is the fans will determine the winner via text messages.
“We have some good guys in it this year,” Ovechkin said. “I want to see what Kovalev will do. Of course I like Russians, but he has some sick moves. And he is at home, with his fans.”
Following the Scotiabank NHL Fan Fav Breakaway Challenge is the revamped YoungStars Game presented by Upper Deck. It’s a game of 3-on-3 pitting 10 of the best sophomores in the League against 10 of the best rookies. While the YoungStars Game is being played, the voting for the Breakaway Challenge will be conducted and revealed after the YoungStars Game.
McDonalds NHL Accuracy Shooting will come after the announcement. Kaberle is back to defend his title, this year going against known snipers Jonathan Toews, Ilya Kovalchuk, Jarome Iginla, Dany Heatley, Marc Savard, Mike Modano and Evgeni Malkin, who could have easily been in the Hardest Shot, as well.
When all the targets are down, Souray, Chara, Lecavalier, Streit, Weber and Komisarek will take center stage in the Hardest Shot.
The final event of the night is the Elimination Shootout. All 36 all-star skaters and six goalies will be competing.