Metropolitan Division vs. Pacific Division: NHL All-Star Game Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 2/5/2022

Time: 3 p.m. ET

Venue: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV

Where to watch: ABC

DraftKings: NL

BetMGM: NL 

Caesars: NL

Normally I'm too opposed to the All-Star Game in the NHL. The 3-on-3 format is normally a good display, but only in the form of overtime during a game that matters.

But I'm actually intrigued for this year's game, at least regarding the semifinal matchups earlier in the day. The first one between the Metropolitan Division and the host Pacific Division in Las Vegas is sure to be a good one, and I think the Pacific team is going to take this one.

All-Star Games are normally a crapshoot to pick. You're almost guaranteed the over is going to cash and especially in the NHL, goaltending will be at a premium. At the end of the day, it's a participation trophy to make the game and it's hard to take it seriously from a betting aspect.

But there are still ways to value these games. The Pacific team has the home-ice advantage with the Vegas Golden Knights having Mark Stone, Alex Pietrangelo, and now Jonathan Marchessault leading the way. Pete DeBoer is also serving as the coach.

But that division also has some usual names. Connor McDavid is the captain with star teammate Leon Draisaitl in tow from the Edmonton Oilers, and Johnny Gaudreau is making his sixth All-Star Game in the midst of another career season with the Calgary Flames.

You're also going to be hard-pressed to find a better goalie tandem than John Gibson and Thatcher Demko.

At the end of the day, those names are going to steal the show in one facet or another. No disrespect to Timo Meier and Troy Terry making their debuts, but those aren't the names that are going to drive things home.

But it's still a fun team that I think can contend with the likes of the Metro Division. I'd feel differently if Alex Ovechkin wasn't being held out due to a positive COVID-19 case, but there's still some baffling starpower on this team.

More importantly, it's youth that makes the Metro exciting. The world will finally get to see more of Jack Hughes and Jake Guentzel, while Sebastian Aho and Zach Werenski are also getting some well-deserved shine.

Claude Giroux is the only veteran on this group, which is kind of crazy in how these are distributed. Even goalies Tristan Jarry and Frederik Andersen are in their second games and it feels like they've been in midseason classics forever.

Why I like the Pacific side is the defensive structure they'll bring. That's hilarious to think because Pietrangelo is the lone defenseman, but Stone is going to be a pest in this game. Adrian Kempe and Jordan Eberle can even mess some things up in the defensive zone. Keep an eye on the lines when they're released and see if you can take advantage of the Pacific being the dog. Pacific wins 9-7

Since the format was changed to the divisions, the Pacific has won three of the five All-Star Games by scoring just five goals twice.

The Metro has won the other two, having played the Pacific once in 2017 (4-3 win).

Metropolitan:

F Sebastian Aho, CAR (2nd)
F Claude Giroux, PHI (7th)*
F Jake Guentzel, PIT (1st)
F Jack Hughes, NJD (1st)
F Evgeny Kuznetsov, WSH (2nd)+
F Chris Kreider NYR (2nd)
F Tom Wilson, WSH (1st)++
D Adam Pelech, NYI (1st)
D Zach Werenski, CBJ (2nd)

G Frederik Andersen, CAR (2nd)

G Tristan Jarry, PIT (2nd)

+ replaced NYR D Adam Fox (injury)

++ replaced WSH F Alex Ovechkin (COVID-19 protocol)

Pacific:

F Leon Draisaitl, EDM (3rd)

F Jordan Eberle, SEA (2nd)

F Johnny Gaudreau CGY (6th)

F Adrian Kempe, LAK (1st)

F Jonathan Marchessault, VGK (1st)

F Connor McDavid, EDM (5th)*

F Timo Meier, SJS (1st)

F Mark Stone, VGK (1st)

F Troy Terry, ANA (1st) 

D Alex Pietrangelo, VGK (3rd)

G John Gibson, ANA (3rd)

G Thatcher Demko, VAN (1st)