The NHL was forced to cancel last year's All-Star Game due to the COVID-19 pandemic and elected to keep its players from participating in the 2022 Winter Olympics for the same reason. But the league's top players will get the chance to put their talents on display on Saturday when the 2022 NHL All-Star Game takes place in Las Vegas. The puck drops at T-Mobile Arena for the first game of the three-on-three tournament at 3 p.m. ET. For the sixth consecutive time, the NHL is conducting a bracket-style event that pits division against division in two 20-minute mini-games, with the winners facing off in the final.
In the latest 2022 NHL All-Star Game odds, the Metropolitan Division is the -106 favorite (risk $106 to win $100) against the Atlantic (-104). In the other matchup, the Pacific is -114 against the Central (+103). The winners then battle for the cash prize that will be shared by the players on the victorious roster. Before making any 2022 NHL All-Star Game picks, be sure to see the NHL predictions from SportsLine's Matt Severance.
Severance is a well-connected writer and handicapper who has worked in the industry since 2005. He dominated the NHL last season by going a whopping 158-104 on his NHL money-line picks, returning over $1,400 for the $100 bettor.
In 2021-22, he is an amazing 56-35-2 in his last 93 NHL picks, and $100 bettors who have followed him during that time are up $1,037. He heads into NHL All-Star Weekend 2022 having hit six of his last seven picks. Anyone who has followed him is way up.
Now, he has set his sights on the 2022 NHL All-Star Game. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the latest NHL odds and trends for All-Star Weekend:
- Metropolitan vs. Atlantic money line: Metropolitan -106, Atlantic -104
- Central vs. Pacific money line: Pacific -114, Central +103
- MET: Philadelphia C Claude Giroux has appeared in six All-Star Games, registering five goals and four assists
- ATL: Tampa Bay C Steven Stamkos recorded four goals and four assists in six previous All-Star Games
- CEN: Dallas' 37-year-old C Joe Pavelski will become the 11th player since 2003-04 to appear in an All-Star Game at the age of 37 or older.
- PAC: Edmonton C Connor McDavid has amassed 13 points in seven games during the current All-Star format
Why the Central can win it all
The Central may not possess the marquee names, but it does have the most dangerous offensive roster of all the divisions based on 2021-22 statistics as the nine skaters have combined for 169 goals and 404 points this season -- the most among the four All-Star squads. Colorado's Nazem Kadri is tied for third in the NHL with 60 points and Minnesota's Kirill Kaprizov, who won the Calder Trophy last campaign, has notched a career-high 53 while Chicago's Alex DeBrincat leads the team with seven goals in the current All-Star format.
Why the Atlantic can win it all
Florida's Jonathan Huberdeau enters the All-Star break as the NHL's leading scorer with 64 points while Toronto's Auston Matthews is tied for third with 29 goals. Detroit's Dylan Larkin, who notched three goals and as many assists over his last three games with the Red Wings, is making his second All-Star Game appearance after recording three assists in the 2016 event and finishing one shy of the record for most points in the contest by a rookie.
Why the Pacific can win it all
It's difficult to discount a team in an All-Star Game that possesses Edmonton teammates Leon Draisaitl and McDavid, who are second and third, respectively, in the league in scoring and have combined to win the Art Ross Trophy four of the last five years. The Pacific roster also features Calgary's Johnny Gaudreau, whose 11 points in the current All-Star Game format are two behind McDavid for most since its inception.
How to make 2022 NHL All-Star Game picks
Severance is not picking the Metropolitan Division to win it all, noting the team lacks the offensive firepower necessary to take the crown. It also will be without goal-scoring wizard Alex Ovechkin, as the Washington Capitals superstar will miss the event due to COVID-19.
Instead, Severance believes one crucial X-factor will help another division win it all, making them a must-back. He's sharing who it is over at SportsLine.
So who wins the NHL All-Star Game 2022? And what crucial X-factor makes one division a must-back? Visit SportsLine right now to get Severance's overall champion, all from the NHL handicapper who is 56-35-2 in his last 93 NHL picks.
