Vincent Trocheck, Kyle Connor replace Connor Bedard, Jack Eichel at 2024 NHL all-star game

The NHL has officially announced that Connor Bedard and Jack Eichel will not participate in the 2024 NHL All-Star Game in Toronto next month, getting replaced by Vincent Trocheck and Jack Eichel.

Both the Vegas Golden Knights – who won the Stanley Cup in 2023 – and the Chicago Blackhawks will have no representative at the event, which runs from Feb. 1-3.

Bedard was given a prognosis of 6-8 weeks after undergoing surgery to repair his broken jaw earlier this month. He was set to make his all-star debut as the lone rookie representative in Toronto. Eichel, meanwhile, will be out 4-6 weeks after undergoing knee surgery earlier last week.

Trocheck, 30, is on pace for a career-best 80 points this season, his second season with the New York Rangers. Trocheck has 15 goals and 44 points through 46 games, building upon one of his best seasons that saw him register 22 goals and 64 points last year. Trocheck’s most productive campaign came in 2017-18 when he had 31 goals and 75 points with the Florida Panthers. Since then, he has remained a consistent scoring threat capable of registering at least 50 points a season.

This will be Trocheck’s second NHL All-Star game appearance, representing Florida back in 2017 in his second full NHL season.

Connor, 27, will be making his second appearance after taking part in 2021-22. That was his best season to date with 47 goals and 93 points, and although his offense took a step back with just 80 points last year, the winger is still one of Winnipeg’s most important players. This year, Connor came back from injury to register 29 points through 28 games, putting him on pace to finish with just under 70 points.

The event will kick off on Thursday with the player draft, a tribute to the 1967 Toronto Maple Leafs Stanley Cup-winning squad, and a 3-on-3 showcase for the PWHL. On Friday, the all-star skills competition will head to Scotiabank Arena, and then the four squads of 11 players each will compete in the actual all-star game event on Feb. 3 at 3:00 PM ET.