Two of the team captains for the NHL All-Star Game will be very familiar to Canadian fans.
Usual suspect Connor McDavid and host-city hero Auston Matthews, representing the Pacific and Atlantic divisions, respectively, are set to stake their claims crafting their teams in a draft that will take place at the start of the Feb. 1-3 weekend in Toronto Sportsnet has learned.
This edition of the All-Star Game will feature four captains, each representing a division, drafting players with the help of celebrities to build a roster for the 3-on-3 tournament. They'll select nine skaters and two goalies each to help fill out their teams.
The other two team captains are not yet known. The first 32 all-stars were named Thursday.
Matthews, who was named as the representative for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the initial reveal of the all-star selections, has been on a tear this season, scoring a league-leading 30 goals while dishing out 15 assists in 35 games.
This is the seventh time that the Maple Leafs standout has been named an all-star.
In the Western Conference, McDavid is just as much of a staple at the event, also earning his seventh selection for the event. He has 14 goals and 39 assists in 33 games this season as his Edmonton Oilers have rebounded from a slow start.
The league used a player draft at the All-Star Game for a two-team format in 2011, 2012 and 2015, before going to a division-based setup in 2016. This will be the first time they use a draft for the 3-on-3 tournament.
The full 44-man field has yet to be finalized, and a fan vote will determine the final 12 players allowed into the fold.
Here's a full list of the nominees as it stands now.
Eastern Conference All-Stars, as nominated by the NHL
Boston Bruins: David Pastrnak, F
Buffalo Sabres: Rasmus Dahlin, D
Carolina Hurricanes: Sebastian Aho, F
Columbus Blue Jackets: Boone Jenner, F
Detroit Red Wings: Alex DeBrincat, F
Florida Panthers: Sam Reinhart, F
Montreal Canadiens: Nick Suzuki, F
New Jersey Devils: Jack Hughes, F
New York Islanders: Mathew Barzal, F
New York Rangers: Igor Shesterkin, G
Ottawa Senators: Brady Tkachuk, F
Philadelphia Flyers: Travis Konecny, F
Pittsburgh Penguins: Sidney Crosby, F
Tampa Bay Lightning: Nikita Kucherov, F
Toronto Maple Leafs: Auston Matthews, F
Washington Capitals: Tom Wilson, F
Western Conference players, as nominated by the NHL:
Anaheim Ducks: Frank Vatrano, F
Arizona Coyotes: Clayton Keller, F
Calgary Flames: Elias Lindholm, F
Chicago Blackhawks: Connor Bedard, F
Colorado Avalanche: Nathan MacKinnon, F
Dallas Stars: Jake Oettinger, G
Edmonton Oilers: Connor McDavid, F
Los Angeles Kings: Cam Talbot, G
Minnesota Wild: Kirill Kaprizov, F
Nashville Predators: Filip Forsberg, F
San Jose Sharks: Tomas Hertl, F
St. Louis Blues: Robert Thomas, F
Seattle Kraken: Oliver Bjorkstrand, F
Vancouver Canucks: Quinn Hughes, D
Vegas Golden Knights: Jack Eichel, F
Winnipeg Jets: Connor Hellebuyck, G
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