"It was cringe": Nathan MacKinnon on revamped NHL All-Star draft format starring celebs Justin Bieber, Tate McRae & others
Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon had some thoughts about the revamped NHL All-Star draft format.
This year's draft featured a revamped format from the previous year. Four teams, with NHL captains and assistant captains, took part in the draft with the help of celebrity captains.
The four teams that will take part in the All-Star Game on Saturday are Team Auston Matthews, Team Connor McDavid, Team Nathan MacKinnon and Team Hughes.
These four teams were comprised of four celebrities, with Justin Bieber representing Team Matthews, Will Arnett representing Team McDavid, Tate McRae representing Team MacKinnon and Michael Buble representing Team Hughes.
Meanwhile, when asked about the revamped 2024 All-Star draft format, Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon described it as a "cringe" moment:
“I thought it might be a little cringe, but I thought it was pretty good. I don't know, maybe it was cringe.”
Nathan MacKinnon shares his thoughts on playing alongside Sidney Crosby at All-Star Game
During the NHL All-Star player draft, the team led by MacKinnon selected Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby with the No. 3 pick in the draft. Notably, Crosby is the only player from the Penguins to be playing in the All-Star Game.
MacKinnon expressed his excitement about playing with Crosby in the All-Star Game. He described it as a special moment to play alongside one of the greats of the game.
He also mentioned the importance of having good leadership on the team and the hope of winning the game:
“My lifelong dreams have come true now,” he said with a grin. “It’ll be cool to play with him in an All-Star Game. We got some good leadership on the team now, and hopefully we can win it.”
The NHL All-Star Game will kick off with Team Nathan MacKinnon facing Team Connor McDavid on Saturday.
The next game will see the battle between Team Matthews and Team Hughes. The winner from both games will head into the final and compete for a $1 million prize.