The All-Star Game and a number of other festivities will take place at or around Amalie Arena in downtown Tampa this coming weekend.
Credit:@AmelieArena
This weekend from Friday, Jan. 26, until Sunday, Jan. 28, Tampa Bay will be hosting the 63rd National Hockey League All-Star Game, along with a full three days of pregame events. The NHL season is at its halfway point, and just like most years, it is time for the top players in the league to come together and prove who is the best.
The game is run almost every winter in different cities across the country, except for years when the NHL participates in the Winter Olympics. For those who may not know, while the Winter Olympics are next month in PyeongChang, South Korea, the NHL had declared last year that they would not interrupt the season to send players to compete. It may be disappointing for many people across the world who enjoy seeing the best players compete for their native countries, but it is an enjoyable experience for the people of Tampa Bay to host the All-Star game instead.
Festivities will begin Friday with a large event outside of Amalie Arena in the Silver Lot, along with more fun at nearby Cotanchobee Park down by the Riverwalk. This will give fans an opportunity to meet various NHL mascots, show off their skills at the NHL All-Star Skills Zone, see the famous Stanley Cup, and go to an autograph session with current and former players; many of these opportunities will be open to the public free of charge all weekend. Friday night will conclude with a free concert by Fitz and the Tantrums at Curtis Hixon Park starting at 8 p.m.
Along with the recurring activities from Friday’s All-Star PreGame event, fans will be flocking to the arena for Saturday night’s NHL All-Star Skills Competition. The Skills Competition will feature some of the most talented hockey players in the world competing in various challenges to see who is the fastest skater, has the hardest shot, the most accurate shot, etc. While the event is sure to be a blast for those in attendance, there is a ticket required to attend and currently can cost around $100 for an upper-level ticket. If the price of the event seems costly, the entire competition can be seen on NBC Sports Network starting at 7 p.m.
Sunday will be the biggest day of the weekend for hockey fans with the main event, the All-Star game, starting at 3:30 p.m. Unfortunately, just like the Skills Competition, ticket prices are through the roof, with most going for around $200; luckily, the game will be on NBC for anyone to view. The PreGame events will also be occurring Sunday free of charge for the public, along with All-Star Player Red Carpet Arrivals starting at 1 p.m. If you can get there early, the red carpet may be the best spot to see the players up close, making it an ideal place to take pictures.
The actual game will feature four teams representing the four different divisions: Atlantic, Metropolitan, Central, and Pacific. Each team is made up of the best players from their respective divisions. The team that wins the Skills Competition Saturday will get to pick their first opponent and play a single elimination bracket-style tournament. The games will be played with three skaters on the ice for each team and will use two 20-minute halves. The top two teams will compete in the championship game at the end of the night. So whether you are in attendance or viewing at home on television, there will be three separate games to watch Sunday.
The entire weekend is a dream come true for any hockey fan, and the city of Tampa is lucky enough to have been chosen for the honor of hosting the event. This is the first NHL All-Star game in Tampa since 1999, and with the recent success of the Lightning, the city is more than ready to represent the home team proudly. Tampa Bay Lightning players who will be on the ice include Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, Victor Hedman, and Goalie Andrei Vasilevski. The Atlantic Division team will also be led by Head Coach Jon Cooper of the Lightning. Tampa Bay is sending the most players to the game out of any team in the league, and there are sure to be plenty of local fans in attendance. Other big name players coming to the city are Alex Ovechkin, Patrick Kane, and Connor McDavid to name a few.
The next few days are an exciting time for the local area with the NHL All-Star festivities, along with the famous Gasparilla Pirate Festival, and the Annual Kumquat Festival both occurring Saturday. With plenty of events to choose from, it may be best to get a sample of each to see the best of what the city of Tampa and local area have to offer.
NHL All-Star Weekend Times and Locations
● Friday, January 26th
○ 5:00 P.M. – 10:00 P.M.
■ 2018 NHL All-Star PreGame: Amalie Arena Silver Lot & Cotanchobee Park
○ 8:00 P.M. – 10:00 P.M.
■ 2018 NHL All-Star Friday Night: Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park
● Saturday, January 27th
○ 12:00 P.M. – 11:00 P.M.
■ 2018 NHL All-Star PreGame: Amalie Arena Silver Lot & Cotanchobee Park
○ 7:00 P.M. – 9:30 P.M.
■ 2018 NHL All-Star Skills Competition: Amalie Arena (Watch on NBCSN)
● Sunday, January 28th
○ 12:00 P.M. – 3:30 P.M.
■ 2018 NHL All-Star PreGame: Amalie Arena Silver Lot & Cotanchobee Park
○ 1:00 P.M. – 2:00 P.M.
■ All-Star Player Red Carpet Arrivals: Amalie Arena
○ 3:30 P.M. – 7:00 P.M.
■ 2018 Honda NHL All-Star Game: Amalie Arena (Watch on NBC)
