NHL Skills Competition Betting Picks for Hardest Shot, Fastest Skater & Accuracy Shooting

NHL All-Star Weekend is almost here, and the signature event of the weekend no longer is the game itself but rather the NHL Skills Competition.

This year's festivities will take place on Friday night, and there is a new twist to it. Rather than the competition being between teams or conferences, it will now be between the 12 players who are competing. Each of the 12 players will compete in four out of six events, with the goal of making it to the seventh -- and final -- event, which is an obstacle course that just six of the top point earners will compete in.

Let's take a look at the best bets for each competition that is offered on FanDuel Sportsbook.

Note: Lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published. All NHL betting odds and totals per FanDuel Sportsbook.

NHL Skills Competition Betting Picks

Connor McDavid to Win Fastest Skater (+105)

Based on history and the competition at hand, it's hard to pick anyone but Connor McDavid to win the Fastest Skater competition.

McDavid won back-to-back-to-back Fastest Skater competitions from 2017 to 2019 but didn't compete last year. It's hard to go away from McDavid considering his speed is among the elite during in-game action, let alone skating around the ice as fast as possible as this competition asks for.

Per NHL EDGE, McDavid is tied for the third-highest speed recorded this season at 24.05 miles per hour (MPH). He's also recorded the second-most 22+ MPH bursts in the league with 43, behind only Nathan MacKinnon, who will not be competing in this competition.

McDavid still has tough players to battle, with as the likes of Cale Makar and Mathew Barzal being part of the five-skater lineup. But I'm confident that as long as McDavid avoids blowing out a tire on a turn, this is his competition to win -- which the odds reflect.

Elias Pettersson to Win Hardest Shot (+175)

Speaking of former winners, Elias Pettersson prevailed in last year's Hardest Shot, and there's every reason to believe he can do it again.

Pettersson won the Hardest Shot competition in 2023 with a 103.2 MPH shot. He's got the shortest odds, with Cale Makar and his teammate J.T. Miller coming in behind him.

Throughout the 2023-24 season, Pettersson has recorded 12 shots of 90+ mph (per NHL EDGE) -- good for the ninth-most among forwards. His top shot this season came in at 97.67 MPH, but we know what he's capable of when he can do the typical run up to the puck in the competition.

With the competition lacking any big defenseman -- a player type who has often dominated these competitions -- it's up for grabs. Makar may be the one Pettersson has to get past based on Makar's in-season high of 96.18 MPH and 17 shots over 90+ MPH.

That said, we're rolling with Pettersson with confidence.

Auston Matthews to Win Accuracy Shooting (+700)

Finally, the Accuracy Shooting competition may be the most difficult one to predict. I'm going to roll with Auston Matthews.

Matthews enters the competition with the most goals in the NHL (40). Even with that being the case, he owns just the fifth-best odds among the 10 players participating.

The Toronto Maple Leafs' forward has a 20.2% shooting percentage this season, good for the eighth-best in the league. NHL EDGE breaks down the percentages per spot on the ice, and Matthews shoots 27.0% from right in front of the net -- where the shots in the competition take place.

Matthews has a career shooting percentage of 16.1%, the sixth-best among all active NHL players. The only player in the competition with a better percentage than him is Leon Draisaitl, who is one of the favorites with +600 odds. Between Draisaitl and former winner David Pastrnak, the competition is certainly stiff, but it may be worth rolling with the best goalscorer in the NHL this season.

This competition isn't something new for Matthews, either. He has competed in it multiple times in the past, including in 2017 when he went 4-for-5 in 12.280 seconds. He nearly won before falling to eventual winner Sidney Crosby.

Matthews is on track to have a 70-goal season this year -- there's no one better than him right now at putting the puck in the net.

Looking for more NHL betting opportunities? Check out all of the NHL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.