The NHL All-Star Game marks one of the most anticipated events to follow the NHL mid-season. It is also a competition where fans leave behind their rivalries and unite as a strong Conference fan base.
Since its inception in 1934, the NHL All-Star Game has had an amazing journey. Loaded with the best stars across the four divisions of the Eastern and Western Conference, the exhibition All-Star game has also provided some of the most memorable moments on the ice that are still impossible to forget to this day.
As February approaches and fans get themselves prepared for the festivities of the 2023 All-Star Game, let's throwback to five of the most unforgettable NHL All-Star Game moments on the ice.
Top five NHL All-Star Game moments of all time
#1. Mario Lemieux, scores 6 points
The 1988 All-Star Game provided what is known to be the greatest NHL All-Star Game moment. Mario Lemieux set the St. Louis Arena packed with more than 18,000 spectators on fire that day.
He went on to score 6 points in that game, with three assists and a hat-trick goal in overtime (the winning goal) to help the Wales Conference secure a 6-5 win. This moment from "The Magnificent" is indeed worth the greatest All-Star Game moment.
#2. Wayne Gretzky on the sheet with four goals
There might have been a few NHL moments in which "The Great One" would not have been a part of. Wayne Gretzky was born to be part of some of the best, if not the best, moments in the ice hockey world.
During the 1983 All-Star Game matchup between Campbell Conference and Wales Conference, Wayne Gretzky went on to score four winning goals in the third period to help Campbell secure a comfortable 9-3 win. With this feat, "The Great One" became the first player in the NHL All-Star Game to score four goals.
#3. Grant Fuhr's 15 shot saves
A five-time Stanley Cup winner with the Edmonton Oilers, Grant Fuhr was on another level in the 1986 All-Star Game. Playing for the Campbell Conference, Fuhr went on to showcase a moment that could not be forgotten. He denied 15 shots in the net that day, later earning him the MVP of the competition. He also became the first black man to be awarded the MVP in the history of the All-Star Game.
#4. Dany Heatley, first All-Star debutant to score four goals
Dany Heatley was only 22 when he made his All-Star debut in 2003 with just two regular-season experiences. He went on to score four goals in his debut All-Star game for the Eastern Conference against the Western Conference.
However, the game ended with the Western Conference securing a 6-5 shoot-out win. Having scored four goals in his debut, the moment from Heatley is indeed worth recalling.
#5. Zdeno Chara, player to clock the fastest shot
Standing at six-foot-nine, defenseman Zdeno Chara was widely known for shooting the puck with blistering power. In the 2012 All-Star Skills competition, Chara produced a jaw-dropping moment on the ice. His shot was clocked at 108.8 miles per hour, intrestingly breaking his own previous 2011 record of 105.9 mph per hour.
These were indeed five amazing moments captured during previous NHL All-Star Games, with many more to come.