NHL All-Star Game facts for kids
The National Hockey League All-Star Game is a special ice hockey game held each year during the NHL season. It's a chance for many of the league's best players to play against each other in a fun, exhibition match. The money made from the game helps the players' retirement fund, and the winning team gets $1,000,000 to donate to a charity they choose.
The NHL All-Star Game usually happens in late January or early February. It's like a symbolic halfway point in the regular season, even though the actual halfway point is usually a week or two earlier.
Quick facts for kids National Hockey League All-Star Game |
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|---|---|
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Sports event |
| Date(s) | January or February |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Location(s) | Various |
| Inaugurated | October 13, 1947 |
| Organized by | NHL |
 2024 NHL All-Star Game |
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Contents
How the All-Star Game Works
Over the years, the NHL All-Star Game has changed its format several times to keep things exciting.
Early Formats (1947-1968)
From 1947 to 1968, the team that won the Stanley Cup the year before usually played against a team made of star players from all the other NHL teams. There were a couple of times when it was a game between All-Stars from American teams and All-Stars from Canadian teams instead.
Conference vs. Conference (1969-1997, 2003-2010)
Starting in 1969, the game became a battle between the best players from the Eastern Conference and the best from the Western Conference. Fans would vote for the starting players, including the goalie. The rest of the team was chosen by the NHL's hockey experts and team managers.
Since 1996, the coaches for the All-Star teams have been the coaches of the two teams leading their conferences. Before that, the coaches from the previous year's Stanley Cup Finals coached the All-Star teams.
North America vs. The World (1998-2002)
In 1998, the All-Star Game changed its format to celebrate the Winter Olympics. For this event, the NHL had a team of North American stars play against a team of stars from the rest of the world. This format lasted until the 2002 game, which was also an Olympic year. After that, it went back to the Eastern vs. Western Conference format.
Player Draft (2011-2015)
For the 2010–11 season, the NHL tried something new: a player draft! Instead of East vs. West, the All-Star players themselves picked their teams, similar to how fantasy sports teams are chosen. Fans voted for some players, and the NHL picked others. Then, two captains were chosen, and they drafted their teammates from the combined group of players. This format was a joint idea from the NHL and the National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA).
Divisional Tournament (2016-2022)
In 2015, the NHL announced a big change for the 2016 game. Instead of one game, there would be four All-Star teams, one for each of the league's four divisions. These teams would play in a mini-tournament. Each game in the tournament was played three-on-three (meaning only three players from each team on the ice at a time) with two 10-minute halves. If a game was tied, it went straight to a shootout. The winners of the two semifinal games then played in an "All-Star Game Final."
In 2017, a small change was added: the division that won the NHL All-Star Skills Competition the night before got to choose which team they would play first in the semifinals.
Combined Format (2023-Present)
In 2023, the NHL decided to combine the best parts of the old and new formats. They kept the four-team, three-on-three tournament but brought back the player draft. The league chose captains for each of the four teams, and then those captains drafted their teammates from the pool of All-Stars. Celebrity co-captains were also added to make it even more fun!
Skills Competition
Before the All-Star Game, there's the NHL All-Star Skills Competition. This is where the All-Stars show off their amazing talents in different challenges, like fastest skater, hardest shot, and accuracy shooting.
For a few years, there was also an NHL YoungStars Game for rookie players, but that was later changed so rookies could compete in the skills competition instead.
History of the All-Star Game
The first official NHL All-Star Game was held in 1947. But even before that, there were some special games played to help players in need.
Benefit Games
These games were played to raise money for players or their families during difficult times.
Hod Stuart Benefit All-Star Game (1908)
The very first All-Star game in hockey history happened on January 2, 1908, even before the NHL existed! It was played to honor Hod Stuart, a player who had sadly drowned. The money raised went to his family.
Ace Bailey Benefit Game (1934)
On December 12, 1933, a tough hit during a game ended Ace Bailey's playing career. To help Bailey and his family, the NHL held its first ever All-Star game on February 14, 1934. Bailey's jersey number, 6, was retired by the Toronto Maple Leafs, making it the first number ever retired in the NHL. In a memorable moment, Bailey even presented the player who hit him, Eddie Shore, with his All-Star jersey, showing he had forgiven him.
Howie Morenz Memorial Game (1937)
Howie Morenz was a huge star in the 1930s. Sadly, his career and life ended after a serious injury during a game in 1937. His leg was badly broken, and he later died from a heart attack. A benefit game was held in his memory, though it wasn't as successful as Bailey's game.
Babe Siebert Memorial Game (1939)
In 1939, Babe Siebert, a former player who had just become a coach for the Montreal Canadiens, drowned. A benefit game was organized to help his family, raising money for them.
Official Games Begin (1947)
Even though Ace Bailey hoped for an annual All-Star Game, it didn't become a yearly tradition until the 1947–48 NHL season.
The First Official Game (1947)
The first official NHL All-Star Game was played on October 13, 1947, in Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. The defending Stanley Cup champions played against a team of selected players from the other five teams. The game was a success, with the All-Stars winning 4–3.
Changes and Challenges (1950s-1980s)
In the 1950s, there were some changes to the format, including games where the First NHL All-Star team played the Second. But these games often ended in ties and weren't very exciting. Fans and experts suggested moving the game to mid-season and letting fans vote for players, ideas that would later become reality.
In 1966, the All-Star Game was moved from the start of the season to the middle, which is where it is now. This change helped promote the NHL as it expanded to new cities.
In 1979, the All-Star Game was replaced by the Challenge Cup, a three-game series where NHL stars played against the Soviet Union's best players. The Soviets won the series. In 1987, a similar event called Rendez-vous '87 also featured the NHL All-Stars against the Soviet team.
Modern Era (1990s-Present)
The 1990 All-Star Game introduced the NHL All-Star Skills Competition and a "Heroes of Hockey" game featuring former NHL players.
The All-Star Game was canceled in 1995, 2005, and 2013 due to player lockouts. It was also canceled in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. For several years, the NHL agreed not to hold an All-Star Game during Winter Olympic years when NHL players participated. However, this changed in later years.
The 2003 Game brought back the classic East vs. West format and featured the first shootout in an All-Star Game, which was very popular and later influenced the NHL to use shootouts to decide regular season games.
The 2011 game introduced the player draft format, where captains picked their teams. The 2016 game then changed to a divisional tournament with three-on-three play. The 2024 game combined these ideas, using the four-team, three-on-three format with a player draft and celebrity co-captains.
Future All-Star Games
There won't be an All-Star Game in 2025 because the NHL will hold a new Four Nations Face-Off tournament instead. This tournament will be a preview for the league's return to the Olympics in 2026. The 2026 All-Star Game is planned to be hosted by the New York Islanders.
Cities That Haven't Hosted Yet
As of the 2024 All-Star Game, some NHL cities and teams have never hosted the event. Six current NHL cities have not hosted: Anaheim, Newark, Seattle, Tempe, Washington, D.C., and Winnipeg.
Of the teams in those cities, four have never hosted: the Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, Seattle Kraken, and Winnipeg Jets. The New Jersey Devils and Washington Capitals hosted the game when they were located in nearby suburbs.
Many current NHL arenas also haven't hosted an All-Star Game yet.
Results of All-Star Games
| Game (Year) | Result | Host team | Host arena | Host city | Game MVP, Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st (1947) | All–Stars 4 – Maple Leafs 3 | Toronto Maple Leafs | Maple Leaf Gardens | Toronto, Ontario | N/A |
| 2nd (1948) | All–Stars 3 – Maple Leafs 1 | Chicago Black Hawks | Chicago Stadium | Chicago, Illinois | N/A |
| 3rd (1949) | All–Stars 3 – Maple Leafs 1 | Toronto Maple Leafs (2) | Maple Leaf Gardens (2) | Toronto, Ontario (2) | N/A |
| 4th (1950) | Red Wings 7 – All–Stars 1 | Detroit Red Wings | Olympia Stadium | Detroit, Michigan | N/A |
| 5th (1951) | First Team 2 – Second Team 2 | Toronto Maple Leafs (3) | Maple Leaf Gardens (3) | Toronto, Ontario (3) | N/A |
| 6th (1952) | First Team 1 – Second Team 1 | Detroit Red Wings (2) | Olympia Stadium (2) | Detroit, Michigan (2) | N/A |
| 7th (1953) | All–Stars 3 – Canadiens 1 | Montreal Canadiens | Montreal Forum | Montreal, Quebec | N/A |
| 8th (1954) | All–Stars 2 – Red Wings 2 | Detroit Red Wings (3) | Olympia Stadium (3) | Detroit, Michigan (3) | N/A |
| 9th (1955) | Red Wings 3 – All–Stars 1 | Detroit Red Wings (4) | Olympia Stadium (4) | Detroit, Michigan (4) | N/A |
| 10th (1956) | All–Stars 1 – Canadiens 1 | Montreal Canadiens (2) | Montreal Forum (2) | Montreal, Quebec (2) | N/A |
| 11th (1957) | All Stars 5 – Canadiens 3 | Montreal Canadiens (3) | Montreal Forum (3) | Montreal, Quebec (3) | N/A |
| 12th (1958) | Canadiens 6 – All–Stars 3 | Montreal Canadiens (4) | Montreal Forum (4) | Montreal, Quebec (4) | N/A |
| 13th (1959) | Canadiens 6 – All–Stars 1 | Montreal Canadiens (5) | Montreal Forum (5) | Montreal, Quebec (5) | N/A |
| 14th (1960) | All–Stars 2 – Canadiens 1 | Montreal Canadiens (6) | Montreal Forum (6) | Montreal, Quebec (6) | N/A |
| 15th (1961) | All–Stars 3 – Black Hawks 1 | Chicago Black Hawks (2) | Chicago Stadium (2) | Chicago, Illinois (2) | N/A |
| 16th (1962) | Maple Leafs 4 – All–Stars 1 | Toronto Maple Leafs (4) | Maple Leaf Gardens (4) | Toronto, Ontario (4) | Eddie Shack, Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 17th (1963) | All–Stars 3 – Maple Leafs 3 | Toronto Maple Leafs (5) | Maple Leaf Gardens (5) | Toronto, Ontario (5) | Frank Mahovlich, Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 18th (1964) | All–Stars 3 – Maple Leafs 2 | Toronto Maple Leafs (6) | Maple Leaf Gardens (6) | Toronto, Ontario (6) | Jean Beliveau, Montreal Canadiens |
| 19th (1965) | All–Stars 5 – Canadiens 2 | Montreal Canadiens (7) | Montreal Forum (7) | Montreal, Quebec (7) | Gordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings |
| (1966) | No game was held in calendar 1966 as the event was shifted from the 1966 to the 1967 portion of 1966–67. | ||||
| 20th (1967) | Canadiens 3 – All–Stars 0 | Montreal Canadiens (8) | Montreal Forum (8) | Montreal, Quebec (8) | Henri Richard, Montreal Canadiens |
| 21st (1968) | Maple Leafs 4 – All–Stars 3 | Toronto Maple Leafs (7) | Maple Leaf Gardens (7) | Toronto, Ontario (7) | Bruce Gamble, Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 22nd (1969) | East 3 – West 3 | Montreal Canadiens (9) | Montreal Forum (9) | Montreal, Quebec (9) | Frank Mahovlich, Detroit Red Wings |
| 23rd (1970) | East 4 – West 1 | St. Louis Blues | St. Louis Arena | St. Louis, Missouri | Bobby Hull, Chicago Black Hawks |
| 24th (1971) | West 2 – East 1 | Boston Bruins | Boston Garden | Boston, Massachusetts | Bobby Hull, Chicago Black Hawks |
| 25th (1972) | East 3 – West 2 | Minnesota North Stars | Met Center | Bloomington, Minnesota | Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins |
| 26th (1973) | East 5 – West 4 | New York Rangers | Madison Square Garden | New York City, New York | Greg Polis, Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 27th (1974) | West 6 – East 4 | Chicago Black Hawks (3) | Chicago Stadium (3) | Chicago, Illinois (3) | Garry Unger, St. Louis Blues |
| 28th (1975) | Wales 7 – Campbell 1 | Montreal Canadiens (10) | Montreal Forum (10) | Montreal, Quebec (10) | Syl Apps Jr., Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 29th (1976) | Wales 7 – Campbell 5 | Philadelphia Flyers | The Spectrum | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Peter Mahovlich, Montreal Canadiens |
| 30th (1977) | Wales 4 – Campbell 3 | Vancouver Canucks | Pacific Coliseum | Vancouver, British Columbia | Rick Martin, Buffalo Sabres |
| 31st (1978) | Wales 3 – Campbell 2 (OT) | Buffalo Sabres | Buffalo Memorial Auditorium | Buffalo, New York | Billy Smith, New York Islanders |
| Challenge Cup (1979) | NHL All-Stars 4 – Soviet Union 2 Soviet Union 5 – NHL All-Stars 4 Soviet Union 6 – NHL All-Stars 0 Soviet Union wins series 2–1 |
New York Rangers (2) | Madison Square Garden (2) | New York, New York (2) | Not awarded |
| 32nd (1980) | Wales 6 – Campbell 3 | Detroit Red Wings (5) | Joe Louis Arena | Detroit, Michigan (5) | Reggie Leach, Philadelphia Flyers |
| 33rd (1981) | Campbell 4 – Wales 1 | Los Angeles Kings | The Forum | Inglewood, California | Mike Liut, St. Louis Blues |
| 34th (1982) | Wales 4 – Campbell 2 | Washington Capitals | Capital Centre | Landover, Maryland | Mike Bossy, New York Islanders |
| 35th (1983) | Campbell 9 – Wales 3 | New York Islanders | Nassau Coliseum | Uniondale, New York | Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers |
| 36th (1984) | Wales 7 – Campbell 6 | New Jersey Devils | Brendan Byrne Arena | East Rutherford, New Jersey | Don Maloney, New York Rangers |
| 37th (1985) | Wales 6 – Campbell 4 | Calgary Flames | Olympic Saddledome | Calgary, Alberta | Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 38th (1986) | Wales 4 – Campbell 3 (OT) | Hartford Whalers | Hartford Civic Center | Hartford, Connecticut | Grant Fuhr, Edmonton Oilers |
| Rendez-vous '87 (1987) | NHL All-Stars 4 – Soviet Union 3 Soviet Union 5 – NHL All-Stars 3 Soviet Union wins 8–7 on aggregate |
Quebec Nordiques | Le Colisée | Quebec City, Quebec | Not awarded |
| 39th (1988) | Wales 6 – Campbell 5 (OT) | St. Louis Blues (2) | St. Louis Arena (2) | St. Louis, Missouri (2) | Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 40th (1989) | Campbell 9 – Wales 5 | Edmonton Oilers | Northlands Coliseum | Edmonton, Alberta | Wayne Gretzky, Los Angeles Kings |
| 41st (1990) | Wales 12 – Campbell 7 | Pittsburgh Penguins | Pittsburgh Civic Arena | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 42nd (1991) | Campbell 11 – Wales 5 | Chicago Blackhawks (4) | Chicago Stadium (4) | Chicago, Illinois (4) | Vincent Damphousse, Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 43th (1992) | Campbell 10 – Wales 6 | Philadelphia Flyers (2) | The Spectrum (2) | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2) | Brett Hull, St. Louis Blues |
| 44th (1993) | Wales 16 – Campbell 6 | Montreal Canadiens (11) | Montreal Forum (11) | Montreal, Quebec (11) | Mike Gartner, New York Rangers |
| 1994 | East 9 – West 8 | New York Rangers (3) | Madison Square Garden (3) | New York, New York (3) | Mike Richter, New York Rangers |
| (1995) | Game canceled due to the 1994–95 NHL lockout. Game was originally set to play at the San Jose Arena in San Jose, California. |
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| 1996 | East 5 – West 4 | Boston Bruins (2) | FleetCenter | Boston, Massachusetts (2) | Ray Bourque, Boston Bruins |
| 1997 | East 11 – West 7 | San Jose Sharks | San Jose Arena | San Jose, California | Mark Recchi, Montreal Canadiens |
| 1998 | North America 8 – World 7 | Vancouver Canucks (2) | General Motors Place | Vancouver, British Columbia (2) | Teemu Selanne, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim |
| 1999 | North America 8 – World 6 | Tampa Bay Lightning | Ice Palace | Tampa, Florida | Wayne Gretzky, New York Rangers |
| 2000 | World 9 – North America 4 | Toronto Maple Leafs (8) | Air Canada Centre | Toronto, Ontario (8) | Pavel Bure, Florida Panthers |
| 2001 | North America 14 – World 12 | Colorado Avalanche | Pepsi Center | Denver, Colorado | Bill Guerin, Boston Bruins |
| 2002 | World 8 – North America 5 | Los Angeles Kings (2) | Staples Center | Los Angeles, California | Eric Daze, Chicago Blackhawks |
| 2003 | West 6 – East 5 (SO) | Florida Panthers | Office Depot Center | Sunrise, Florida | Dany Heatley, Atlanta Thrashers |
| 2004 | East 6 – West 4 | Minnesota Wild | Xcel Energy Center | Saint Paul, Minnesota | Joe Sakic, Colorado Avalanche |
| (2005) | Game canceled due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout. Game was originally set to play at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. |
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| (2006) | No game was held due to the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. Game was originally set to play at Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Arizona. |
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| 2007 | West 12 – East 9 | Dallas Stars | American Airlines Center | Dallas, Texas | Daniel Briere, Buffalo Sabres |
| 2008 | East 8 – West 7 | Atlanta Thrashers | Philips Arena | Atlanta, Georgia | Eric Staal, Carolina Hurricanes |
| 2009 | East 12 – West 11 (SO) | Montreal Canadiens (12) | Bell Centre | Montreal, Quebec (12) | Alexei Kovalev, Montreal Canadiens |
| (2010) | No game was held due to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia. | ||||
| 2011 | Team Lidstrom 11 – Team Staal 10 | Carolina Hurricanes | RBC Center | Raleigh, North Carolina | Patrick Sharp, Chicago Blackhawks |
| 2012 | Team Chara 12 – Team Alfredsson 9 | Ottawa Senators | Scotiabank Place | Ottawa, Ontario | Marian Gaborik, New York Rangers |
| (2013) | Game canceled due to the 2012–13 NHL lockout. Game was originally set to play at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. |
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| (2014) | No game was held due to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. | ||||
| 2015 | Team Toews 17 – Team Foligno 12 | Columbus Blue Jackets | Nationwide Arena | Columbus, Ohio | Ryan Johansen, Columbus Blue Jackets |
| 2016 | Atlantic 4 – Metropolitan 3 Pacific 9 – Central 6 Pacific 1 – Atlantic 0 |
Nashville Predators | Bridgestone Arena | Nashville, Tennessee | John Scott |
| 2017 | Pacific 10 – Central 3 Metropolitan 10 – Atlantic 6 Metropolitan 4 – Pacific 3 |
Los Angeles Kings (3) | Staples Center (2) | Los Angeles, California (2) | Wayne Simmonds, Philadelphia Flyers |
| 2018 | Pacific 5 – Central 2 Atlantic 7 – Metropolitan 4 Pacific 5 – Atlantic 2 |
Tampa Bay Lightning (2) | Amalie Arena (2) | Tampa, Florida (2) | Brock Boeser, Vancouver Canucks |
| 2019 | Central 10 – Pacific 4 Metropolitan 7 – Atlantic 4 Metropolitan 10 – Central 5 |
San Jose Sharks (2) | SAP Center (2) | San Jose, California (2) | Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 2020 | Atlantic 9 – Metropolitan 5 Pacific 10 – Central 5 Pacific 5 – Atlantic 4 |
St. Louis Blues (3) | Enterprise Center | St. Louis, Missouri (3) | David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins |
| (2021) | Game canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Game was originally set to play at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida. |
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| 2022 | Metropolitan 6 – Pacific 4 Central 8 – Atlantic 5 Metropolitan 5 – Central 3 |
Vegas Golden Knights | T-Mobile Arena | Paradise, Nevada | Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers |
| 2023 | Central 6 – Pacific 4 Atlantic 10 – Metropolitan 6 Atlantic 7 – Central 5 |
Florida Panthers (2) | FLA Live Arena (2) | Sunrise, Florida (2) | Matthew Tkachuk, Florida Panthers |
| 2024 | Team McDavid 4 – Team MacKinnon 3 Team Matthews 6 – Team Hughes 5 Team Matthews 7 – Team McDavid 4 |
Toronto Maple Leafs (9) | Scotiabank Arena (2) | Toronto, Ontario (9) | Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs |
| (2025) | No game will be held due to the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. | ||||
| 2026 | TBD | New York Islanders (2) | UBS Arena | Elmont, New York | TBD |
Top Players in All-Star History
Leading Scorers
These players have scored the most points (goals + assists) in All-Star Game history:
| Player | Points | Goals | Assists | Games Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne Gretzky | 25 | 13 | 12 | 18 |
| Mario Lemieux | 23 | 13 | 10 | 10 |
| Joe Sakic | 22 | 6 | 16 | 12 |
| Mark Messier | 20 | 6 | 14 | 15 |
| Gordie Howe | 19 | 10 | 9 | 23 |
Most Appearances
These players have been chosen for the most All-Star Games:
- Gordie Howe, 23 times
- Ray Bourque, 19 times
- Wayne Gretzky, 18 times
- Frank Mahovlich, 15 times
- Paul Coffey, 15 times
- Mark Messier, 15 times
- Jean Beliveau, 13 times
- Scott Stevens, 13 times
- Alex Delvecchio, 13 times
- Glenn Hall, 13 times
- Al MacInnis, 13 times
- Jaromir Jagr, 13 times
- Joe Sakic, 12 times (chosen 13 times, but was injured once)
- Alexander Ovechkin, 12 times
- Terry Sawchuk, 11 times
- Claude Provost, 11 times
- Patrick Roy, 11 times
- Chris Chelios, 11 times
- Nicklas Lidstrom, 11 times
- Ted Lindsay 11 Times
- Teemu Selanne, 11 times
- Brian Leetch, 10 times
- Mario Lemieux, 10 times
- Jari Kurri, 10 times
- Steve Yzerman, 10 times
- Sidney Crosby, 10 times
- Martin Brodeur, 9 times (chosen 10 times, but was injured once)
- Patrick Kane, 9 times
Images for kids
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Hockey sweater worn by Maurice Richard during the 1949 All-Star Game.
