With three days of hockey competition, showcases, photo ops and interactive family fun, it’s February’s hottest ticket for sports fanatics.
Auston Matthews. William Nylander. Thatcher Demkow. Catch hockey’s biggest names in Toronto as it hosts the NHL All-Star Weekend (February 1-3, 2024).
Best of all, it’s all happening downtown, where Toronto’s dynamic restaurant, nightlife and shopping scenes intersect. Looking to plan your weekend breakaway? Here’s what you need to know.
Can’t-miss NHL All-Star Weekend events
The first thing you need to know is that NHL All-Star Weekend is all about endurance. With three days of hockey immersion, pacing is critical.
On Thursday, start strong with a visit to the 2024 Hyundai NHL Fan Fair at the Toronto Metro Convention Centre, for 300,000 square feet of interactive games, meet and greets and photo ops with hockey’s greatest trophy, The Stanley Cup.
Afterwards, walk to Scotiabank Arena to cheer on your fave players at NHL All-Star Thursday, a star-packed event that includes the Tim Hortons NHL All-Star Player Draft and the Canadian Tire Professional Women’s Hockey League’s 3-on-3 Showcase.
Friday’s big ticket is the 2024 NHL All-Stars Skills competition, with 12 NHL pros competing for points in eight events. Just one winner will skate away with a $1 million prize!
Saturday is the main event: the 2024 NHL All-Star Game. Four squads of 11 players (nine skaters and two goalies) will tough it out for supremacy. Each squad is comprised of today’s best scorers and gatekeepers as selected by the League plus fan vote. Check out the full roster here.
Sleep, eat, shop hockey
With events at Scotiabank Arena (home ice to the Toronto Maple Leafs) and Toronto Metro Convention Centre, downtown’s dynamic South Core is the hub of NHL All-Star Weekend.
Book into a neighbourhood hotel so you can walk wherever you need to go. Stellar options include Le Germain Hotel Toronto Maple Leaf Square (a sleek boutique hotel), Fairmont Royal York Toronto (a heritage hotel fit for hockey royalty and actual monarchs) and the Westin Harbour Castle, Toronto (endless Lake Ontario views). Might you encounter an All-Star in your elevator? All we can say is these hotels are a puck-drop from centre ice, so…
Ready to eat? The South Core is also home to many restaurant options, whether you’re craving nachos, ramen, steak or MICHELIN Star-recognised Italian cuisine. Local goss has it that Harbour 60 Steakhouse, MARBL Restaurant and Buca (the latter two on nearby King Street West) offer promising star-gazing potential—and excellent dining, besides.
Between NHL All-Star Weekend events, stroll over to Canada’s hockey Mecca, the Hockey Hall of Fame (HHOF). With memorabilia, galleries, interactive activities and simulators, it’s a must for avid fans of all ages.
Finally, souvenirs or it didn’t happen. HHOF’s onsite shop, Spirit of Hockey, is known for its unrivalled selection of official merchandise.
