Matthews, Nylander have Maple Leafs teammates divided over All Star Skills

TORONTO -- Auston Matthews and William Nylander will be among 12 players participating in the 2024 NHL All-Star Skills presented by DraftKings Sportsbook in Toronto on Feb. 2.

It's safe to say their Toronto Maple Leafs teammates are keenly anticipating the chance to see which forward will outperform the other.

"They're both incredible at everything," forward Matthew Knies, who has spent significant time as Matthews' linemate this season, said Tuesday. "It's hard to see who is going to be better. I'm actually interested to watch and see who has the upper hand on it. But I think I'd take [Matthews] for the shooting events and Willy for skating events."

Will the player who finishes below the other hear about it from their teammates once the Maple Leafs reconvene after the All-Star break?

"Yes," defenseman Morgan Rielly said dryly.

"I think me and Mitch (Marner) have a front row seat so I'm going to hitch my wagon to one of them and hopefully they can pull through for me and if we do win, I'm going to let the other one know for sure."

Rielly and Marner will join Matthews and Nylander from the Maple Leafs at the 2024 Honda (U.S.)/ Rogers (Canada) NHL All-Star Game at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Rielly said he has not decided whether he will throw his support behind Matthews or Nylander.

"[My support] is going to the highest bidder. I'm not doing it for free, you know," he said.

The Skills competition will feature 12 of the League's most talented players in a series of competitions to determine the winner. Each will participate in four of the first six events: Fastenal NHL Fastest Skater, Rogers NHL Hardest Shot, Scotiabank NHL Passing Challenge, Tim Hortons NHL One Timers, Upper Deck NHL Stick Handling and Cheetos NHL Accuracy Shooting. First place will be worth five points, second place four points and so on.

The top eight point-earners will advance to the seventh event, the Honda NHL Shootout, where each player will choose which goalie they shoot against.

The top six will advance to the final event, the Pepsi NHL Obstacle Course, where point totals are doubled. The player with the most points accumulated after the eight events will be crowned the winner of the 2024 NHL All-Star Skills and earn $1 million.

So does Matthews or Nylander have the advantage heading into the competition?

"I think they're going to be pretty tight," Rielly said. "I think their skill sets are pretty similar actually. I bet you neither of them do the fastest skater. I think they'll both do stick handling, they'll both do one timers."

"I have insight, one of them for sure is not going to do fastest skater. If I was them, I wouldn't pick fastest skater either. It's probably the hardest event in terms of exertion."

Goalie Ilya Samsonov was kind enough to give his opinion as to which of his teammates he thinks has the best chance in each event.

Fastest skater: "I think it's Willy because they go around the net. Willy is nice going around, pick up speed, yes."

Hardest Shot: "Let's go hardest shot Willy. But one-timers, I've got Auston."

Passing Challenge: "I like them both, I don't know who's better there."

Stick Handling: "It's both too."

Accuracy Shooting: "Auston."

Marner said he is most excited to see his teammates go head-to-head in Accuracy Shooting.

"I mean, you probably have to say Auston (has the advantage), he has like what, a thousand goals? But Willy does have great accuracy," Marner said. "In that competition, it's just about placing your shot, you don't have to shoot hard. I'll say Auston but I think Willy is also going to be pretty good at that, probably in the top three if not two."

Nylander leads the Maple Leafs in scoring with 61 points (23 goals, 38 assists) in 46 games, but Matthews leads the NHL in goals with 39 in 45 games.

Who would be more upset to see their teammate defeat them?

"I think Auston would be rattled if he loses to Willy," Rielly said. "I think he'd be more rattled whereas Willy will let it go easier. He's very competitive, I don't mean he's not competitive but he has good perspective on this stuff."

Knies sees it the other way.

"Probably Willy," Knies said. "I think both are going to be happy for each other, but I think Willy will be a little stung (if he loses to Matthews)."

Marner said he knows both guys will be playing for keeps.

"Everyone gets competitive when stuff starts going, especially for money and against one another," Marner said. "I think both guys are going to be pretty intense on things and not want to lose especially for a million bucks."

One thing is for sure though. As Rielly said, the chirps will be flying at whoever finishes lower in the competition. However, despite being a rookie, Knies is smart enough to know he should stay out of it for now.

"Probably no (chirping) from me being a younger guy," he said. "I'm not really the first one to chirp, that's not my role here. But I'm sure for Mitch, he's going to be excited to use it in the locker room for sure."

Marner's target though will not likely come down to which of Matthews or Nylander exceeds the other.

"Everyone will probably get ripped on," Marner said. "That's how our team rolls."