2012 NHL All-Star Game: 5 Players Who Will Impress at the Skills Competition

Team Chara and Team Alfredsson have been drafted. The teams are now ready to take on each other in the Skills Competition. 

The events are Fastest Skater, Breakaway Challenge, Accuracy Shooting, Skills Challenge Relay, Hardest Shot and Elimination Shootout.

Each event requires a different set of skills, and these five players will dazzle in their events. 

Pavel Datsyuk: Breakaway Challenge

With Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby out, who is going to be the face of the All-Star game? The answer is Pavel Datsyuk. 

Datsyuk has hands like no one in the NHL. He makes moves that players can only dream of making. And he will bring it in the Breakaway Challenge. 

He is going to make goalies grab their jockstraps out of the rafters after this challenge. Look for him to make moves players and fans will be talking about for years to come. 

Steven Stamkos: Accuracy Shooting

Since Steven Stamkos was the first pick in the 2008 NHL draft, he is becoming a one-man wrecking crew for the Lightning. 

In the 2009-2010 season, Stamkos scored 95 points. He scored 51 goals, which is five more than his total point total in the 2008-2009 season.

Last season, he had a little bit of an off-year, scoring only 91 points. He is more than halfway there this season, however, with 52 points. You can't do that without having fantastic hand-eye coordination. 

This is what will help him go 4/4 in the Accuracy Shooting challenge, and I am predicting him to win it all. 

Erik Karlsson: Fastest Skater

This is probably my boldest pick of the slideshow.

I have always felt that defensemen can be the fastest skaters when they want to be. Trying to break up a breakaway is the best motivation to turn on the afterburners.

Karlsson is a great pick because he already has some natural speed. If he can get into that extra gear, he can walk away with the win. 

Zdeno Chara: Hardest Shot

Who else did you expect? Al MacInnis?

Although that would be a great head-to-head matchup, Chara has Shea Weber to face him in the Hardest Shot challenge. 

Weber may have the ability to beat him, but Chara will break the record again this weekend. Sit back and watch him murder the puck on every shot.

Brian Elliott: Elimination Shootout

Brian Elliott is having a career year with the St. Louis Blues, and his stellar play will continue in the Skills Competition. 

Just like in the video, Elliott has the ability to slide across the crease to make a big save. In the Elimination Shootout, that skill is going to put him in the spotlight. 

Although eventually one skater will win the event, Elliott will make at least one big save that will keep the commentators talking for the rest of the weekend.