NHL Announces First 32 for All-Star Game

With the calendar having flipped to 2024 and the annual New Year’s Day Winter Classic in the books, the NHL turns their attention to the next big event this season. That is the All-Star game.

Held February 1-3, 2024, this year’s game will take place at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. All 32 teams get one representative selected by the league. After that, fans select the final 12 via the NHL All-Star Fan Vote. Of those 12, four must be goaltenders. Fans can vote for their favorites (or the most deserving) by going to NHL.com/vote or on X through January 11.

The first 32 consist of a variety of players, from seasoned veterans to rookies. There are also a number of former number 1 draft picks, including Toronto’s own Auston Matthews.

Below are the players selected by the league, with how many times they have been named to the All-Star Game in their NHL career and a snippet on why they were selected.

Anaheim Ducks–Frank Vatrano: In his second season with the Ducks, Vatrano leads the team in scoring. His 18 goals are eight more than the next closest teammate, Mason McTavish. That led to his first All-Star selection.

Arizona Coyotes-Clayton Keller: A longtime Coyote, Keller makes his fourth All-Star Game appearance in 2024. He leads the team with 31 points in 36 games while anchoring the top line on an Arizona team that looks to be a legitimate playoff contender.

Boston Bruins-David Pastrnak: One of the Bruins top goal scorers in recent years, Pastrnak makes his fourth career All-Star appearance. With 22 goals in 36 games, he ranks sixth in league scoring.

Buffalo Sabres-Rasmus Dahlin: Selected first overall in the 2018 NHL Draft, Dahlin makes his third consecutive All-Star game this season. With ten goals, he’s tied with Quinn Hughes for the league lead among defensemen this season.

Calgary Flames-Elias Lindholm: A surprise selection to some, Lindholm is being rewarded with his first All-Star Game appearance in 2024. He currently ranks third in scoring for the Flames, with 24 points. That trails two former Stanley Cup champions in, Blake Coleman and Nazem Kadri.

Carolina Hurricanes-Sebastian Aho: With Andrei Svechnikov on the shelf to start the season, Aho was asked to help lead the Hurricanes. He did that and more, with 43 points in 35 games. Recently, his 21 points are the best in the Metropolitan Division. That landed him an invite to his third All-Star Game.

Chicago Blackhawks-Connor Bedard: Touted as the best player available at the 2023 NHL Draft, the Blackhawks selected Bedard first overall, to nobody’s surprise. Months after his NHL debut, the young man has been selected to his first All-Star Game. With 33 points in 37 games, he leads the Hawks in all scoring categories and has two Rookie of the Month honors to his name.

Colorado Avalanche-Nathan MacKinnon: Drafted first overall in 2013, the Avalanche captain is making his fifth All-Star Game this season. His 41 assists lead the league, while his 64 points are tied with Nikita Kucherov.

Columbus Blue Jackets-Boone Jenner: One of a few veterans on a rebuilding team, Jenner was selected to his first All-Star Game in 2024. The Blue Jackets captain was tied for the team lead in goals, with 13, when he landed on injured reserve three weeks ago after suffering a fractured jaw.

Dallas Stars–Jake Oettinger: A bit of a surprising selection given his injury history and tough season numbers-wise, Oettinger was selected to his first All-Star Game. His winning record of 11-7-2 probably contributed to his selection, as did the struggles of most other Western Conference goaltenders. He does boast a 2.93 goals against average (GAA) and .901 save percentage in 21 starts, though, so there’s a chance injuries have impacted his overall game this season.

Detroit Red Wings–Alex DeBrincat: After spending last season with the Ottawa Senators, DeBrincat chose to return home this past offseason. That move has paid off thus far, with the forward selected to his second All-Star Game. In the season’s first few months, he leads the Red Wings in goals, assists, and points.

Edmonton Oilers-Connor McDavid: While not at his best to start the 2023-24 season, McDavid has been a big part of the Oilers turnaround during the past month or so. That helped his case of being named to his seventh All-Star Game. After a slow start, his 53 points are now tied for third with Artemi Panarin and Pastrnak.

Florida Panthers-Sam Reinhart: In his third season in South Florida after spending much of his career in Buffalo, Reinhart looks to have finally settled in, with 24 goals and 45 points in 37 games. As a result, he has been selected to his first All-Star Game.

Los Angeles Kings-Cam Talbot: Coming off of an injury-plagued season in Ottawa, Talbot decided to take a one-year deal to prove he could still play at a high level. It’s safe to say he’s proven his worth early this season, with a 14-8-3 record, 2.10 GAA, and .925 save percentage in 25 starts. Those numbers have earned him his second All-Star Game nod.

Minnesota Wild-Kirill Kaprizov: Arguably the best forward in Wild franchise history, Kaprizov will make his third consecutive All-Star Game in 2024. His 34 points, 15 power-play points, and three game-winning goals lead the team, while his 13 goals and 21 assists rank second. He is currently injured, though, so that’s something to keep an eye on as All-Star weekend approaches.

Montreal Canadiens-Nick Suzuki: Playing on the Canadiens top line, Suzuki leads the team in goals (12) and assists (22). That contributed to his third straight All-Star Game selection.

Nashville Predators-Filip Forsberg: On pace for one of his best seasons, Forsberg has been selected to play in his second All-Star Game. His 19 goals and 24 assists lead all Predators skaters, while the 43 points he’s accumulated so far are ten more than the next closest teammate, Ryan O’Reilly.

New Jersey Devils-Jack Hughes: Coming from a hockey family, Hughes was a no-brainer for the Devils to select first overall in the 2019 NHL Draft. With 30 assists in 31 games, he’s tied for 10th in the league. His 45 points are tied for 11th, with another top pick in Toronto’s Auston Matthews. All of that points to his third All-Star Game appearance this season.

New York Islanders-Mathew Barzal: Widely considered by many to be the face of the Islanders, Barzal was selected to his third All-Star Game this season. Soon after the announcement, the winger collected two assists in a win over the Coyotes to become the seventh-fastest Islander to reach 400 points. He also has a team-leading 39 points in 37 games played.

New York Rangers-Igor Shesterkin: Initially thought to be a surprise selection, Shesterkin got the nod when it was made public that leading scorer Artemi Panarin wouldn’t be able to make the All-Star Game because he and his wife are expecting their second child. It’s the Russian goaltenders second consecutive appearance. While not considered the Rangers best player this season, his 16 wins are tied for the third most in the NHL. He also has a 2.75 GAA and .908 save percentage, both solid but not eye-popping numbers.

Ottawa Senators-Brady Tkachuk: The younger Tkachuk brother, Brady, had to play second fiddle to Matthew at last year’s festivities in South Florida. This time around, it should be a little different, as the game is being held in Toronto, Ontario, not far from where Brady resides in Ottawa, Ontario. A noted agitator, Brady Tkachuk makes a living off of making life difficult for opposing players. His league-leading 88 penalty minutes prove this. He’s not just a pain to play against though, evidenced by the 302 points he’s put up in 393 career games. That helped earn him a fourth All-Star Game appearance.

Philadelphia Flyers–Travis Konecny: Leading a Flyers team that is surprisingly in a playoff spot right now, Konecny has been selected to his second All-Star Game. The winger leads his team with 18 goals and 33 points in 37 games this season. His four short-handed goals tie for second place in the league as well.

Pittsburgh Penguins-Sidney Crosby: One of the oldest players in this year’s game, Crosby will make his sixth All-Star appearance. A leader on the ice and in the locker room, the first overall pick in 2005 looks reinvigorated this season. His 22 goals are tied for seventh in the league, while his 61.1 face-off winning percentage is fifth.

San Jose Sharks-Tomas Hertl: Playing for a rebuilding team is never fun. Just ask Hertl. A Shark since being drafted 17th overall in the 2012 NHL Draft, Hertl will make his second All-Star Game appearance this year. Through 37 games, he leads the team in both goals (13) and points (28).

Seattle Kraken-Oliver Bjorkstrand: A great player in his own right, Bjorkstrand sometimes gets overshadowed by the accomplishments of more well-known teammates. That has to explain why this is only his first All-Star Game selection in a career that has seen him go from the Columbus Blue Jackets to his current home with the expansion Kraken. He’s currently on pace for career highs in goals, assists, and points, plus his 12 power play points are tied for the team lead.

St. Louis Blues-Robert Thomas: Leading by example during the early days of this season, Thomas thrust himself into the conversation for All-Star consideration. With great numbers so far, he was selected to play in his first-ever All-Star Game in 2024. He leads the Blues in goals (15), assists (24), points (39) and plus-minus (+12).

Tampa Bay Lightning-Nikita Kucherov: Undoubtedly the best player on a Lightning team that’s currently performing below expectations, Kucherov will make his fifth All-Star Game this season. His 64 points are tied for the league lead, while his goals, assists, and power-play goals all rank in the top three. He also leads the Bolts in every scoring category and it’s really not that close, as Victor Hedman’s 33 assists is four back of Kucherov.

Toronto Maple Leafs-Auston Matthews: Known as a sniper since being drafted first overall in 2016, Matthews was selected to his fifth All-Star Game. He’ll represent the host city of Toronto, a real honor for anyone that gets the chance. The American-born player leads the league in goals, with 30, and recently became the 10th skater in NHL history to record eight consecutive 30-goal seasons to start his career.

Vancouver Canucks-Quinn Hughes: One of three Hughes brothers, Quinn Hughes, is enjoying a bounce-back year with the Canucks. That earned him his second All-Star Game nod. He leads all NHL defensemen in points, with 46, and his plus-25 rating is tied for first in the league.

Vegas Golden Knights-Jack Eichel: After spending much of his career with the Buffalo Sabres, Eichel was traded to the expansion Golden Knights in November of 2021. He led Vegas in scoring last postseason, as they captured the Stanley Cup in the franchise’s sixth season. That, along with his team-leading 40 points, earned him his fourth All-Star Game selection and first with the Golden Knights.

Washington Capitals-Tom Wilson: With Alex Ovechkin experiencing a down year by his standards, Wilson was selected to his second All-Star Game this season. His 11 goals are tied for second on the Capitals, while his 19 points are fourth on the team.

Winnipeg Jets-Connor Hellebuyck: A perennial Vezina Trophy finalist, Hellebuyck was selected to his fourth All-Star Game in 2024. His 19 wins are tied for second in the league, while his 2.28 GAA ranks fourth.

There you have it. Did the league get things right? Are there more deserving players? Leave any thoughts in the comments, and don’t forget to vote for the final 12 through next week.