| Compact: | yes |
| 2022 NHL All-Star Game | |
| Location1: | T-Mobile Arena, Paradise |
| Date1: | February 5, 2022 |
| Mvp: | Claude Giroux |
| Previous: | 2020 |
| Next: | 2023 |
The 2022 National Hockey League All-Star Game was held on February 5, 2022, at T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, the home of the Vegas Golden Knights. For the sixth consecutive All-Star Game, a three-on-three format was used, with teams representing each of the league's four divisions competing in a single-elimination tournament.
The NHL originally awarded Sunrise, Florida, the 2021 All-Star Game on January 24, 2020. The city previously hosted the NHL All-Star Game in 2003.[1] During their State of the League press conference on January 24, 2020, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly stated that the league was considering changing the All-Star Game format so it has a "distinct international flavor," using a model similar to the World Cup of Hockey.[2] The four-team, 3-on-3, single elimination format, with one team representing each of the league's four divisions, had been used for the past five All-Star Games.
On October 22, 2020, the NHL officially announced that both the Winter Classic in Minnesota and the All-Star Game had been postponed for the 2020–21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and "uncertainty as to when we will be able to welcome our fans back to our games," as fan participation and accompanying events are considered "integral to the[ir] success". The NHL stated that both events will not return until 2022 at the earliest, and that these events could be held in Minneapolis and Sunrise "in the near future" (but not yet naming them the 2022 hosts).[3] [4] Sunrise was later instead awarded the 2023 All-Star Game, replacing the scheduled game for 2021.[5]
The collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that the league and the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) signed on July 10, 2020, included a provision opening the possibility for the NHL to explore participation at the 2022 and 2026 Winter Olympics.[6] During seasons when the league goes to the Olympics (most recently in 2014), the All-Star Game is not normally held.
On June 28, 2021, the league announced that the All-Star Game will take place instead at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, home of the Vegas Golden Knights, for the first time.[7] The league cited the fact that they had not yet signed a deal with the International Olympic Committee on sending players to the 2022 Beijing Olympics, so they decided to go ahead and schedule an All-Star Game anyway, at an arena on the West Coast since players will be scheduled to fly straight to Beijing after the game.[8] [9] [10] On September 3, 2021, a deal was officially reached to send players to the Olympics, with an opt-out clause should COVID-19 health conditions worsen.[11] However, on December 22, 2021, the NHL announced that it will no longer send its players to the Olympics due to rising COVID-19 cases and increasing number of postponed games. Consequently, the originally scheduled Olympic break following the All-Star Game from February 7 to 22 will now be utilized to reschedule 95 postponed games.[12] [13] [14]
The NHL All-Star Skills Competition was held on the night before on February 4. The Fastest Skater, Save Streak, Accuracy Shooting, and Hardest Shot events returned from 2020; and the Breakaway Challenge from 2016.[15]
The winners of these five regular skills events were:[16]
The Skills Competition also featured two events specific to Las Vegas locations:[15]
Captaincy of each division was determined by a fan vote, which ran from December 11, 2021, to January 8, 2022.[20] The league announced the four captains and most of the rest of the rosters on January 13. The final results of the captaincy vote were: Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin (Metropolitan), Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (Atlantic), Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon (Central), and Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid (Pacific). However, MacKinnon did not play due to injury; as a result, Dallas Stars forward Joe Pavelski was named as Central captain and Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi replaced MacKinnon on the roster. Ovechkin then had to drop out after being placed in COVID protocols; Philadelphia Flyers forward Claude Giroux was then named Metropolitan captain, with Capitals forward Tom Wilson added to the roster.[21]
An additional 11th "Last Men In" player for each division was also determined by a fan vote, running from January 13 to January 17.[21] The final results of the "Last Men In" of each division were: New York Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad (Metropolitan), Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos (Atlantic), Colorado Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri (Central), and Anaheim Ducks forward Troy Terry (Pacific). However, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jake Guentzel, who finished second in voting in the Metropolitan Division, replaced Zibanejad, who did not attend for personal reasons.[22]
On January 11, the head coaches were announced, chosen from the team in each division with the highest points percentage through January 10: Rod Brind'Amour of the Carolina Hurricanes (Metropolitan), Andrew Brunette of the Florida Panthers (Atlantic), Jared Bednar of the Colorado Avalanche (Central), and Peter DeBoer of the Vegas Golden Knights (Pacific).[23]
| Player | Team | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | (C)† | Philadelphia Flyers | F | 28 | |
 | F | 20 | |||
| | † | Washington Capitals | F | 43 | |
 | F | 59 | |||
| | F | 86 | |||
| | F | 20 | |||
 | Washington Capitals | F | 92 | ||
| | New York Islanders | D | 3 | ||
| | D | 8 | |||
| G | 31 | ||||
| | G | 35 |
| Player | Team |
|---|