Capitals sign Sonny Milano to 3-year extension

Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan has been busy.

Washington re-signed forward Sonny Milano to a three-year deal with an average annual value of $1.9 million, the team announced Saturday after the All-Star Game.

Milano has eight goals and 14 assists in 40 contests while averaging 13:30 of ice time per game as a Capital.

The 26-year-old hit the open market last summer after the Anaheim Ducks opted not to give him a qualifying offer as a restricted free agent. Milano enjoyed a career season with the Ducks in 2021-22, chipping in with 14 goals and 34 points in 66 games. He also memorably buried Trevor Zegras' stunning alley-oop assist that went viral in December 2021.

The Calgary Flames then picked him up on a professional tryout in September but ultimately cut him a couple weeks later.

Ten days later, Washington signed him to a one-year, $750,000 pact as an unrestricted free agent, and he made his Capitals debut on Nov. 5.

The Columbus Blue Jackets' 16th overall pick in 2014, Milano has 103 points in 237 career NHL games.

The Capitals also inked pending restricted free agent Dylan Strome to a five-year, $25-million pact on Friday.

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Atlantic beats Central in 2023 NHL All-Star Game final

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin scored a hat trick as the Atlantic Division topped the Central Division 7-5 on Saturday in the 2023 NHL All-Star Game final.

It's the first time the Atlantic Division has won it all since the NHL moved to the divisional format in 2016.

Larkin also tallied a pair of goals and an assist in the Atlantic's semifinal matchup against the Metropolitan Division, giving him six points overall.

But it was Matthew Tkachuk of the hometown Florida Panthers who was named MVP after his seven-point day.

Toronto Maple Leafs playmaker Mitch Marner chipped in with three assists in the final, while Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov also contributed to the Atlantic's victory with a goal and an assist. Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark was excellent in the final, stopping all six shots he faced in the first half before giving way to Andrei Vasilevskiy.

The Atlantic Division boasts three of the top five teams in the NHL by points percentage, with the Bruins (first), Lightning (fourth), and Maple Leafs (fifth).

The 11 members of the Atlantic Division roster split $1 million in winnings for their triumph.

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Matthew Tkachuk named NHL All-Star MVP

Matthew Tkachuk was named MVP of the 2023 NHL All-Star Game after erupting for four goals and three assists during Saturday's festivities.

The Florida Panthers star put on a show for the home crowd, leading the Atlantic Division to the title. In the first clash against the Metropolitan Division, Tkachuk became the first player since Nikita Kucherov in 2018 to score a hat trick while representing the host city.

Tkachuk factored in on two of the Atlantic's seven goals in the final against the Central. He scored the opening tally just 37 seconds into the contest.

The talented agitator was involved in the biggest move of the offseason last summer. Shortly after informing the Calgary Flames that he didn't intend to sign with them long-term, Tkachuk (alongside a 2025 conditional fourth-round pick) was shipped to the Panthers in exchange for Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, Cole Schwindt, and a conditional 2025 first-round selection.

Though the Panthers currently find themselves outside the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference, Tkachuk has fit in just fine in Florida. The 25-year-old leads the team with 66 points (25 goals, 41 assists) in 49 games.

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Tkachuk’s 5-point game lifts Atlantic Division into All-Star final vs. Central

Matthew Tkachuk notched a hat trick and added a pair of assists to lead the Atlantic Division to a 10-6 victory over the Metropolitan Division in the second NHL All-Star semifinal Saturday.

Earlier in the day, Nathan MacKinnon and Clayton Keller both chipped in two goals to help the Central Division edge the Pacific 6-4 in the first semifinal.

The Central held a 5-2 lead late in the final period, but Elias Pettersson and Erik Karlsson both scored to cut the deficit to one. Keller ultimately put the game out of reach with a dagger to book the Central's ticket to the final.

Vladimir Tarasenko led all skaters with a four-point performance, while Keller and Seth Jones each put up three-point efforts.

The Pacific Division had a step on the Central early on in the contest, and Connor Hellebuyck had to stand tall with a breakaway stop on Bo Horvat.

However, MacKinnon would break the ice just over three minutes in with his first-ever All-Star Game goal. Connor McDavid scored for the Pacific just 33 seconds later, but the Central held a 3-2 edge heading into the intermission.

Keller bookended the final frame, scoring 18 seconds into the period and then with 1:53 remaining in the matchup.

Pettersson was the Pacific's top performer with two tallies. He had another goal overturned following an offside review.

Juuse Saros was tremendous after he came in for the second period, making 11 saves on 13 shots to help lift the Central to victory.

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Toronto to host 2024 NHL All-Star Game

The NHL is headed to Toronto for the 2024 All-Star Game, commissioner Gary Bettman announced Saturday ahead of this year's edition in Florida.

"We are thrilled to bring the Honda NHL All-Star Game back to Toronto for the ninth time and to shine a spotlight on our current stars in a setting that evokes over a century of league history," Bettman said.

"Toronto fans are among the most knowledgeable and passionate in our game, and the city's rich hockey history dates back to the creation of the sport. What better place to play host to our annual midseason celebration of the best and brightest in the NHL?"

All-Star Weekend will take place Feb 2-3, 2024. Toronto last hosted the event in 2000, when the format featured a clash between North American and World All-Stars.

The NHL hasn't staged an All-Star event in Canada since Ottawa hosted the festivities in 2012.

"I think the city is going to be loving this," said Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner, according to NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "Seeing how the NBA All-Star Game (in 2016) was, I think the NHL one will be even bigger."

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2023 NHL All-Star Skills Competition roundup

Some of the NHL's biggest and brightest stars took their talents to sunny Florida, where they did their best to regale us all during Friday's 2023 NHL All-Star Skills Competition.

Some things worked, and some things didn't. But a few players earned bragging rights after winning their events.

Here's what went down.

Svechnikov turns on the jets to win Fastest Skater 🏃

Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The field was wide open for this one with Edmonton Oilers speedster Connor McDavid sitting on the sidelines, and Carolina Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov took full advantage.

Svechnikov bested Los Angeles Kings winger Kevin Fiala in the final with a run of 13.699 seconds, the night's fastest time. Fiala booked his spot in the last heat after clocking in at 13.996 in the opening round. However, he faltered in the final and exceeded a time of 14 seconds.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar knocked himself out of contention by falling to the ice (he's OK) and failing to complete his lap. Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin, who set the event's record time as a rookie in 2016 with a 13.17 run, clocked in with the slowest time at 14.558.

The Ovis and Crosby win the Breakaway Challenge 🐧🦅

Eliot J. Schechter / National Hockey League / Getty

Let's be honest; some of this year's breakaway attempts were a little cringy (we miss Trevor Zegras). Not to worry, though. Sergei Ovechkin came to the rescue.

Toronto Maple Leafs stud Mitch Marner started things off. Dressed like Don Johnson in "Miami Vice" to match his stylish skates, Marner didn't get off the best shot and was easily thwarted by Hall of Fame goaltender Roberto Luongo.

Later in the night, Boston Bruins sniper David Pastrnak leaned hard into the "Happy Gilmore" theme and, after much fanfare, putted the puck into an empty net.

Next up was Ovechkin and Crosby, who called on the help of the former's 4-year-old son, Sergei - a.k.a. Ovi Jr. Sergei had no problem getting the puck past Luongo in what was the cutest moment of the night. His performance won the event with 10s across the board.

Finally, Panthers pest Matthew Tkachuk went full-on Florida for his attempt by rocking a floral shirt, bucket hat, and scuba goggles for the home crowd. Teammate Aleksander Barkov pulled up dressed like a lifeguard, and his brother, Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, settled into a beach chair on the ice to witness the action. Matthew started by bouncing the puck on his stick, caught it in his hat, and then shot his hat past Luongo, who didn't stand a chance while wielding a pool noodle.

Arkells singer and celebrity judge Max Kerman wasn't impressed and gave Tkachuk a score of two for his efforts.

Here's how the final scoring went down:

Player Score
The Ovechkins and Sidney Crosby 40
David Pastrnak 38
Matthew Tkachuk 33
Mitch Marner 21

Saros and Hellebuyck take the Tendy Tandem 🧱

Joel Auerbach / Getty Images Sport / Getty

In one of three new events to grace the All-Star stage, Juuse Saros and Connor Hellebuyck reigned victorious to take home the crown for the Central Division.

Tandem Division Points
Juuse Saros (shooting) and Connor Hellebuyck (in-net) Central 13
Stuart Skinner (shooting) and Logan Thompson (in-net) Pacific 11
Linus Ullmark (shooting) and Andrei Vasilevskiy (in-net) Atlantic 9
Ilya Sorokin (shooting) and Igor Shesterkin (in-net) Metropolitan 6

For this competition, the shooting goalies got five attempts to shoot the puck at the net from the opposite end of the ice, and how well they did would determine how many skaters the opposing in-net goalies faced. The shooters got points based on the accuracy of their shots, while the in-net goaltenders scored points based on how many skaters they stopped.

Saros and Oilers rookie Stuart Skinner were the competition's best shooters, each sending one puck into the hole.

However, Canadian women's hockey star and Olympian Sarah Nurse stole the show when she won a one-on-one duel with New York Rangers stud and reigning Vezina Trophy winner Igor Shesterkin.

Rantanen and Makar dunk on their opposition in Splash Shot 🤿

Chase Agnello-Dean / National Hockey League / Getty

Mikko Rantanen and Makar sent their opponents to sleep with the fishes (not literally, just into a dunk tank) on the beach at Fort Lauderdale after winning the first-ever edition of Splash Shot.

Eight players were divided into four teams, and participants raced to knock down seven targets to dunk their opponents. Rantanen bested the duo of Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon by taking down all the targets in 25.5 seconds.

Adam Fox and Shesterkin eliminated the Tkachuk brothers in the opening round but fell to the Avalanche teammates after Makar only needed 18 seconds to drop Fox into the tank.

The pre-recorded event wasn't without controversy. One of the sets of targets had some technical difficulties and wouldn't fall, according to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski.

Nelson picks the corners during Accuracy Shooting 🎯

Dave Sandford / National Hockey League / Getty

Brock Nelson beat Nazem Kadri in the third and final round of the Accuracy Shooting contest by posting a time of 12.419 seconds to earn a win in his first-ever All-Star appearance.

Kadri eliminated McDavid in the semifinal, but the Oilers superstar took the league by storm after going four-for-four in 9.497 seconds during the opening round.

After seeing that performance, it makes sense why McDavid wanted to try his hand at this event rather than Fastest Skater.

Suzuki dominates the green in Pitch 'n Puck 🏌️‍♂️

Eliot J. Schechter / National Hockey League / Getty

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki proved he has what it takes on the ice and on the golf course by winning the inaugural Pitch 'n Puck challenge. He beat out the likes of Johnny Gaudreau, Clayton Keller, and Jason Robertson, who all broke even.

Suzuki sank a clutch birdie putt to secure the victory on the par-4 island green in an event that made players combine golf and hockey shots.

Pettersson launches a rocket during Hardest Shot 💥

Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson took the Hardest Shot title after cranking a 103.2-mph bomb.

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin was the only other participant to hit triple digits, launching a 102.3 howitzer.

Ovechkin's dangerous-looking shot rang off the post.

The winners of each event earned $30,000. Players will take to the ice Saturday for the All-Star Game at 3 p.m. ET.

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Mailbag Friday – Riccio rant! Toughness and trades

Dan and Sat answer your questions about the All-star competitions, Canucks toughness issues and trades before the deadline.

 

This Podcast was produced by Dominic Sramaty

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.