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Report: New event to replace ‘breakaway challenge’ in All-Star skills competition

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The NHL All Stars pull out all the stops for the Skills Competition's breakaway challenge, including involving their sons, imitating an NHL legend, Han Solo's best friend and even some country music.

The NHL is ditching the “Breakaway Challenge” at the All-Star Skills Competition and replacing it with something called the “Four Line Challenge”.

The details of the new challenge from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman:

Players will try to hit targets in the net from the closest blueline, centre ice, the far blueline and then the opposite goal line. Goalies will be offered the chance to try from the farthest distance, with more points available if they can do it.

It was no surprise to hear that the breakaway challenge was no more. While there have been a few memorable moments, like last year when P.K. Subban dressed up as Jaromir Jagr, the gags and/or breakaway attempts too often fell flat or failed to deliver.

For the record, Friedman reported that the change was “as much the players’ decision as the league’s.”

This year’s skills competition will take place on Saturday, Jan. 28, at Staples Center in Los Angeles.