In case you may not have heard who is hosting the 2024 NHL All-Star weekend festivities. Well, I have good news for you. It’s the Toronto Maple Leafs! For the first time since 2000, the Maple Leafs will be hosting a fun-filled weekend and this season, we have some notable activities coming back.
The NHL announced in in late November that to go along with the standard All-Star competition and game, we’ll be treated with the return of the NHL All-Star Player Draft, which is making its return for the first time since 2015. They also announced that there will be a Man of the Year award, which will honour the 1967 Toronto Maple Leafs, and we will get to watch a 3-on-3 PWHL Showcase.
In 2024, #NHLAllStar Weekend starts on Thursday. 😎
📝 @TimHortons NHL All Star Player Draft
🎉 @NHLAlumni Man of the Year
🏆 The @CanadianTire @thepwhlofficial 3-on-3 ShowcaseWatch on @ESPN, @ESPNPlus & @Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/TEG73bjhaM
— NHL (@NHL) November 28, 2023
In regards to the returning All-Star Player Draft, celebrity co-captains will be involved in helping pick the teams, according to Chris Johnston of TSN.
The NHL is bringing back the player draft for this year’s All-Star Game in Toronto. Four captains will choose their teams with the help of a celebrity co-captain.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) November 27, 2023
I will be going over eight possible Toronto celebrities who could be involved in this season’s NHL All-Star weekend and some honourable mentions.
1. Justin Bieber
I thought I’d get the most obvious candidate out of the way first. Whether you’re a fan of his or not, Justin Bieber being named a possible captain at the 2024 All-Star weekend is highly likely, given his known love for the Toronto Maple Leafs, his friendship with Auston Matthews, and the fact that he even designed an entire jersey for the team back in the 2021-22 season that they still use.
Also, not to mention, here is a video from Bieber himself from the Maple Leafs account from earlier this year. He noted how excited he is for the All-Star weekend coming to Toronto and how there are “lots of surprises in store.” Whether that means he’ll be involved in the actual game/competition or he’s performing, Bieber is high up on this list for obvious reasons.
We already can’t wait for next year eh, @justinbieber ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/HZzqBSDQVt
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) February 4, 2023
2. Will Arnett
For those who may not know who Will Arnett is but may have heard the name before, he is an actor and comedian born in Toronto, Ontario, who has made his love for the Maple Leafs known throughout the years. He also narrated the 2021 Amazon series “All or Nothing: Toronto Maple Leafs”. But we won’t go into much detail about that because we all know how it ended for the boys in blue.
Other than the Amazon series he narrated; Arnett has also done other narrating videos for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He even got to sit in the booth back in 2019 to call a Zach Hyman goal against the Philadelphia Flyers. He would be a slam-dunk choice to join this season’s All-Star weekend, and given his strong history with the organization, it wouldn’t be surprising if it did happen.
3. Adam Copeland (Edge)
This one might be one of my favourites, and I hope they can make it happen. Adam Copeland, also known as Edge, the Rated R Superstar, is one of the biggest Toronto Maple Leafs fans out there and having him come back home to the GTA to be a part of the All-Star weekend festivities would be an unbelievable experience.
The WWE Hall of Famer has a long history of love with the organization. From watching them clinch the series win down in Tampa Bay last playoffs to having Edge, Toronto Maple Leafs shirts released at WWE Smackdown this past summer to even being behind the reason why the Maple Leafs award their championship belt to somebody after a win, Edge is truthfully a massive fan. If you don’t believe Edge’s love for the team is legitimate, you should watch this video that the WWE posted.
.@EdgeRatedR shares his unrivaled passion for hockey and the Toronto @MapleLeafs in this bonus scene from #WWE24: Edge: The Second Mountain. @WWENetwork @NHL pic.twitter.com/T6w222f1ga
— WWE (@WWE) April 6, 2020
4. Mike Myers
It was hard to come up with a list of potential candidates and not include Mike Myers. The Toronto native is a known mega-Maple Leafs fan and deserves a spot as a celebrity captain for this season’s All-Star weekend. The 60-year-old has been seen at countless Toronto Maple Leafs games. Whether it’s in Toronto or on the road, Mr. Myers finds his way there.
Here are a couple of pictures and videos of Myers spotted at games over the years:
Mike Myers at Barclays Center cheering on the Leafs. #TMLtalk pic.twitter.com/Lze6v00Uhe
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) October 31, 2016
Actor and big Maple Leafs fan Mike Myers gets the #LeafsForever Blue Carpet Welcome by @RossyOnTheMic during tv timeout! #LeafsGoBrách @SiriusXMNHL pic.twitter.com/aicHklP473
— Bruce Bolton (@BruceDBolton) March 16, 2019
5. Mats Sundin
Did you think I was leaving a Maple Leafs legend off this list? Mats Sundin, the current leader in goals, points, and overtime winners in Maple Leafs history, would be a tremendous choice for captain.
The former Maple Leafs captain was in Sweden for the 2023 NHL Global Series and was spotted with Toronto on many occasions, including when he read out the starting lineup for one of Toronto’s games on the trip and being a part of the ceremonial puck drop. Could the 13-year Leaf return to Toronto in 2024 to be part of the festivities?
Mats Sundin reading the @MapleLeafs lineup at the #NHLGlobalSeries in Sweden? Couldn’t have written it any better. 💙
📺: @NHLNetwork pic.twitter.com/2HNOK7lO9s
— NHL (@NHL) November 17, 2023
6. Wendel Clark
He was a fan favourite when he played here in Toronto, and although he played well before my time, I know the love that this fan base had for him and still has for him. Wendel Clark would be an ultimate pick to be involved in any capacity for the 2024 All-Star weekend, and even if he isn’t a captain, it’s hard to imagine Clark and many other former Maple Leafs not being there for All-Star weekend.
7. Darryl Sittler
Darryl Sittler is one of the greatest players to wear a Maple Leafs jersey, and I was lucky to meet Sittler years ago when I was a kid going to the Air Canada Centre to watch the Maple Leafs play. He signed my jersey and a picture, and having him back in Toronto, where the entire fan base adores him, would be amazing. There’s no question about that. Similar to Sundin and Clark, as mentioned above, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Maple Leafs found a way to include some Toronto legends in the All-Star weekend festivities. We even saw Sittler be a part of the ceremony when the Toronto Maple Leafs honoured John Tavares for his 1000th point.
Cap & Co. 💙 pic.twitter.com/vSsUZwuKcw
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) December 20, 2023
8. Drake
When you think of Toronto celebrities, it’s hard not to think of Drake. If he could perform at the 2012 All-Star Game in Ottawa it is entirely possible he could come back to Toronto for All-Star weekend to be a celebrity captain, or hey, even perform a couple of songs, although 12 years has seen a significant change in Drake’s celebrity status. I’ll tell you that now. NHL, you better be calling his agent.
Drake showed up to Game 4 of Maple Leafs-Bruins
The Bruins won 6-4 pic.twitter.com/uec9T4R6t3
— SB Nation (@SBNation) April 18, 2019
Honourable mentions: Keanu Reeves, Sarah Nurse, Jim Carrey, Bo Bichette, Darcy Tucker, Jonathan Osorio
Who would you pick to join the 2024 All-Star weekend festivities? Tell us in the comments below.
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