Now in their 50th season, the New York Islanders have been well represented at the NHL’s showcase event. This season’s edition gives Islanders fans three players to watch during the event. Ilya Sorokin and Brock Nelson will be making their All-Star game debuts, and newly acquired Bo Horvat will also be sporting an Islanders jersey during the event. With the weekend events kicking off tonight, we look back at Islanders players who have participated in the event over the years.
Mathew Barzal Tops Connor McDavid as Fastest Skater
Although Mathew Barzal leads the New York Islanders in points this season, he will not participate in this year’s All-star festivities. Barzal has 12 goals and 31 assists for 43 points in 51 games this season. He has represented the club twice as an All-Star in 2019 and 2020. In his first appearance, Barzal helped lead the Metropolitan Division to victory, winning the 3-on-3 tournament with a 10-5 win over the Central Division. The Islanders’ former first-round pick scored two goals and added three assists during the tournament. The elite playmaker also participated in his first fastest-skater competition finishing third with a time of 13.780.
While making his second appearance in 2020, Barzal again took part in the fastest-skater competition. With all eyes on the three-time champion Connor McDavid, the Islanders center pulled off the upset and posted the best time with a blazing 13.175.
John Tavares
The former Islanders captain John Tavares represented the team in five All-Star games playing in the 2012,2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 events. He picked up a goal and an assist while making his All-Star debut in the 2012 event.
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However, his most impressive showing came during the 2015 event in Columbus, where he became just the sixth player in NHL history to score four goals in an All-Star game. He also showcased his sniping abilities while winning the 2016 Accuracy Shooting competition.
Michael Grabner
While playing for the New York Islanders, speedy Michael Grabner scored a career-high 34 goals during the 2010-11 season. He represented the Islanders in 2011 as one of the rookies to participate in the event. During the skills competition, he put his wheels on display by winning the competition…
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