The NHL All-Star Player Draft returned last night for the first time in nine years, the "fourth time the league used this format to pick its teams" for the All-Star Game. Four teams were selected, and each featured a celebrity rep -- musician Justin Bieber repped the team captained by Maple Leafs C Auston Matthews; actor Will Arnett repped Oilers C Connor McDavid's team; singer/songwriter Tate McRae was paired with Avalanche C Nathan Mackinnon's team; and singer Michael Bublé repped the team captained by Canucks D Quinn Hughes (SPORTSNET.ca, 2/1).
If the NHL "was shooting for some fun along with a little bit of drama," they "looked like they found it" thanks to the All-Star weekend's celebrity captains. Bublé and Arnett "added life" to the event with "some off-the-wall commentary about mushrooms, movies and tattoos." Bieber, on the other hand, "kept a lower profile than the other celebrities." Arnett and Bublé at one point "came to the media podium to answer questions about strategy" and "hammed it up" (TORONTO STAR, 2/1).
