ALL-STAR: McDavid dazzles during Skills to take home $1 million prize

The Oilers captain won four out of six events on Friday night, winning Fastest Skater, Accuracy Shooting, Stick Handling and the Obstacle Course to capture the $1 million prize at 2024 All-Star Skills in Toronto with 25 points and beat out runner-up in Colorado Avalanche defenceman Cale Makar.

McDavid became the first NHL player to win Fastest Skater four times when he reclaimed the title at the expense of New York Islanders’ winger Mathew Barzal, who ended his run of three straight victories in the event during 2020 All-Star Weekend in St. Louis.

Soon after, McDavid exemplified his speed with the puck to again defeat his fellow 2015 first-round pick – this time in the Stick Handling event after his slaloming run up the ice set the unbeatable standard of 25.755 seconds.

When it came to picking corners in Accuracy Shooting, McDavid’s perfect 4-for-4 run in a time of 9.158 seconds held off the likes of Toronto Maple Leafs’ sniper Auston Matthews in the final heat to win him his third event of the night and secure his spot in the Final Eight.

After staying alive in the One-on-One challenge by scoring three times on Colorado netminder Alexandar Georgiev, McDavid anchored the Obstacle Course needing five points, and he made no mistake by beating out Makar with a time of 43.445 seconds – more than three seconds faster – to take home the $1 million prize.

“I would say the most challenging was the breakaway one,” McDavid said. “Georgiev had my number. He was poke-checking and mixing things up. He made it tough for me. That’s what he’s there to do. It was a tough ask for the goalies, so credit to them for stepping in there and battling. I thought they were great and they put on a good show.”