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Can Cale Makar Win Fastest Skater Competition Tonight?

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The NHL All-Star Game is tomorrow, and tonight is the skills competition. There is only one Avalanche player participating in any of the skills competitions and that player is Cale Makar, in the fastest skater contest.

Makar’s competitors are: Connor McDavid, Dylan Larkin, Jordan Kyrou, Chris Kreider, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Adrian Kempe and Kyle Connor.

McDavid, at +150, is the odds-on favorite and he’ll be tough to beat. But Makar is actually listed second in the odds, at +450.

This will be the first time Cale Makar has ever competed in this, so to me he’s a great wild card to bet on. McDavid has superhuman speed, though. And, frankly, so does Dylan Larkin. It should be fun. The skills competition starts tonight at 5:30 p.m. and is on ESPN.

I just hope Makar doesn’t pull a groin or something. Going all out in laps around the rink can make those happen sometimes.

I’m surprised Makar wasn’t selected for the accuracy shooting competition too. If anyone could have won that, it would be Makar, whose wrist shot is laser-accurate much of the time.

The All-Star Game is tomorrow at 1 p.m. and can be seen on ABC. Makar and Nazem Kadri will compete for the Central Division team in the round-robin, 3-on-3 tournament. Nathan MacKinnon, of course, would have served as captain of the Central team, but he remains sidelined, recovering from facial surgery and a concussion.

As of now, things still look optimistic MacKinnon will return after the break. The Avs’ first game after the break is Feb. 10 at home against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning. The Avs are expected to resume practice on Tuesday, Feb. 8.

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