ST. LOUIS -- Mathew Barzal won the 2020 Fastest Skater competition with a time of 13.715 during the NHL All-Star Skills Competition Friday night. The Islanders forward ends Connor McDavid’s three-year reign as champion.
Of the eight competitors, Barzal and McDavid were the last to go and each beat McDavid’s best time -- 13.310 seconds -- of the last three years.
“I was talking to [McDavid] earlier in the lobby of the hotel,” Barzal said afterward. “I might have gotten lucky this week. He was on a break, his break actually happened for a few days so he hadn’t been on skates for a while. We just finished two days ago so I was fresh on my skates.
“You watch him out there, his stride is picture perfect, he never stops moving , so again, I don’t think I could have skated a better lap. I don’t think I could have done it again.”
Barzal finished third last year in San Jose with a time of 13.780. If he’s named to an All-Star roster next season he’ll be able to defend his crown at the BB&T Center when the Florida Panthers play host.
FINAL RESULTS
Mathew Barzal 13.175 (winner)
Connor McDavid 13.215
Chris Kreider 13.509
Jack Eichel 13.540
Nathan MacKinnon 13.895
Anthony Duclair 14.005
Travis Konecny 14.113
Quinn Hughes 14.263
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Sean Leahy is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @Sean_Leahy.