Leon Draisaitl, Stuart Skinner named to NHL All-Star roster with Connor McDavid

Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl, right, celebrates after scoring against the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Connor McDavid won’t be the only Edmonton Oiler heading to Florida for the NHL All-Star Weekend.

On Thursday, when the final 12 selections for the All-Star teams were announced, Leon Draisaitl and Stuart Skinner were named to Team Pacific along with #97.

The players were selected through a fan vote.

Skinner will play goal alongside fellow rookie Logan Thompson of the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Edmonton product is 12-10-2 with a 2.96 goals-against average and .914 save percentage in 26 appearances with the Oilers this season.

He’s the first Oilers netminder to be selected for an all-star team since Tommy Salo in 2002, and only the second rookie goalie from the Oilers to play in an all-star game.

The first was Grant Fuhr in 1982.

Skinner says he found out he’d made the team from Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft.

“I was pretty shocked, didn’t really expect that honour. It’s pretty cool that the fans voted me in. It’s a pretty surreal moment for me, and obviously my whole family is super excited about it,” he said Friday.

In addition to being named to the all-star roster, Skinner is also a new dad.

He and his wife Chloe welcomed their first child, a son named Beau, last Saturday.

He was asked on Friday about leaving his new baby to travel to Florida.

“She’s a great mom and she takes really good care of him, obviously. It’ll be nice for her to just have some mom time with him, and then when I come back, I’ll have my dad time.”

Draisaitl is second only to McDavid in NHL scoring with 72 points.

He will make his fourth all-star game appearance.

“It’s an honour for sure. It’s the best players in the world going and you get to be around a lot of guys you kind of compete against on a nightly basis, so it’s exciting, it’s a fun weekend,” he told reporters.

“Thank you to the fans, thanks to all the people that did vote for us.”

He also had high praise for Skinner.

“Very proud of him. Stuey put in a lot of work over the last couple of years. He deserves to be there. Obviously a very special week for him, everything together. I think we’re all extremely happy for him.”

Draisaitl is second only to McDavid in NHL scoring with 72 points.

He will make his fourth all-star game appearance.

The Florida Panthers will host the NHL All-Star Weekend on Feb. 4 and 5.