Here Are All The Big NHL Stars To Watch Out For At The 2024 All-Star Weekend In Toronto
The 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend kicks off in Toronto on February 1, meaning the city will be filled with some of hockey's biggest stars.
The big event, hosted by the Maple Leafs this year, will also bring several big-name Canadian celebrities to the city.
So which NHLers will be playing in the 2024 All-Star Game and participating in other events from February 1-3?
Here's a look at the biggest NHL stars you may spot in Toronto this weekend and some stats about each player.
Mitch Marner
Leafs forward Mitch Marner will be at the NHL All-Star Weekend, marking his third appearance at the hockey event.
The 26-year-old athlete has been with the Leafs for years having been selected fourth overall by the team in the 2015 NHL Draft. He reached the 500-point milestone during a game against the Detroit Red Wings on January 7, 2023.
Marner lives in Toronto and got married to his longtime partner Stephanie LaChance at a big wedding in Niagara-on-the-Lake in the summer of 2023.
Auston Matthews
Auston Matthews will represent the Toronto Maple Leafs at the NHL All-Star Game at Scotiabank Arena on February 3.
The 26-year-old made his debut with the Leafs back in 2016 and has since gone on to become the top-paid NHL player when his contract with the team was extended in 2023.
Matthews' team for the NHL All-Star Game will include assistant captain Morgan Rielly and Justin Bieber as the celebrity captain.
Matthews and Marner are also good friends with Bieber, so the three of them will most likely be hanging out while Bieber's in town this weekend.
Morgan Rielly
Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly may be in his 11th season with the NHL, but this will be the first time the athlete will take part in the NHL All-Star Game.
Rielly has been with the Leafs since he was selected No. 5 by the team in the 2012 NHL draft.
Rielly lives in Toronto and is engaged to Olympic figure skater Tessa Virtue so it's highly likely she'll be in the stands cheering him on this weekend!
William Nylander
Just like Rielly, this will be the first All-Star appearance for Toronto Maple Leafs star William Nylander.
The 27-year-old hockey player was born in Calgary and raised in the. U.S., but has been with the Leafs since the 2014 NHL draft.
In January 2024, it was announced Nylander would be staying with the team after his $92 million contract was extended for eight years.
Nylander has previously admitted he takes the subway to the majority of his games and practices at Scotiabank Arena so keep an eye out for him if you're riding the TTC this weekend!
Connor McDavid
Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid is also heading to the NHL All-Star Weekend, which will mark his seventh appearance.
The 27-year-old NHLer will lead a team with assistant captain Leon Draisaitl. They'll have Toronto-born actor Will Arnett as their team's celebrity captain.
McDavid has been with the Oilers since 2015. At just 19 years old he became the youngest captain in NHL history in 2016.
McDavid got engaged to his longtime partner Lauren Kyle in 2023 and the couple's big day is set for July 27, 2024, in Muskoka.
Leon Draisaitl
German hockey player Leon Draisaitl who plays with the Edmonton Oilers will also be in Toronto this weekend.
The 28-year-old hockey player was the No. 3 pick in the 2014 NHL Draft and he's been with the Oilers ever since.
Draisaitl will serve as the assistant captain on Connor McDavid and Will Arnett's team.
Quinn Hughes
The Toronto event will be a family reunion for Vancouver Canucks Quinn Hughes. The Canucks team captain will lead a team with his brother Jack Hughes who plays for the New Jersey Devils.
The two brothers will be joined by Canucks forward Elias Pettersson and celebrity captain, B.C. musician Michael Bublé. While Jack will help his brother lead the team, he won't be participating on the ice due to an injury.
Quinn, who is originally from Orlando, Florida, was selected seventh overall in the 2018 NHL draft by the Canucks and was named the team's captain in September 2023.
Elias Pettersson
Vancouver Canucks' Elias Pettersson is joining his teammate Quinn Hughes' team and will serve as an assistant captain.
Pettersson will also step in for Jack Hughes on the ice due to an injury, according to the NHL.
The Swedish ice hockey forward joined the Canucks in the 2017 NHL draft.
Thatcher Demko
Thatcher Demko with the Vancouver Canucks was voted in by hockey fans, meaning he'll be attending the NHL-All Star Weekend.
Thatcher, 28, is originally from San Diego and signed a two-year contract with the Canucks in April 2019, according to the National Hockey League.
He became a dad in August 2023 when he and his wife Lexie Demko welcomed a baby boy named Dawson.
Nathan MacKinnon
Nathan MacKinnon with the Colorado Avalanche will be leading another team at the Toronto event along with his teammate Cale Makar and Canadian singer Tate McRae.
MacKinnon, who is the Colorado Avalanche's centre and alternate captain, joined the team during the 2013 NHL draft.
The 28-year-old athlete was born in Halifax and owned a home in Cole Harbour for many years.
Cale Makar
Canadian defenceman Cale Makar will be joining his Colorado Avalanche teammate MacKinnon on a team at the NHL All-Star event.
The Calgary-born athlete was selected fourth by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2017 NHL draft.
Sidney Crosby
Captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins Sidney Crosby was named to the 2024 NHL All-Star for the tenth time.
The 26-year-old Canadian hockey player joined the Penguins when he was selected as the No. 1 pick in the 2005 NHL draft.
Crosby, who was born in Cole Harbour, continues to live in his hometown part-time. He owns a home along the water and for a while was neighbours with fellow Canadian NHLer Nathan MacKinnon.
Nick Suzuki
Montreal Canadiens' captain Nick Suzuki will also be in Toronto for the big NHL event.
Suzuki, who was born in London, Ontario, joined the Canadiens in 2018 when he was traded by the Vegas Golden Knights.
In September 2022, Suzuki was named captain of the Canadiens, making him the youngest captain in the team's history at just 23 years old.
Brady Tkachuk
Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk has also been named a 2024 NHL All-Star.
This will be Tkachuk's fourth straight All-Star weekend, according to the NHL.
The 24-year-old player from Arizona joined the Senators in the 2018 NHL draft and was named the team's captain in 2021.
Tkachuk married his longtime girlfriend Emma Farinacci in a beautiful ceremony in New Jersey on July 24, 2023.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
