"Blue Jackets captain and five-time All-Star Rick Nash had two pieces of advice for rookie teammate Ryan Johansen before he departed for Ottawa to take part in the All-Star Skills Challenge today:

No. 1: Get your rest, because All-Star weekend is more exhausting than you think.

No. 2: You're good, but maybe stay away from the fastest skater competition.

"He's kind of like me," Nash said. "It takes us awhile to get going."

Nash, an All-Star in every non-Olympics season since 2003, will not participate this season. Johansen, 19, was one of 12 rookies named to join the regular All-Stars in tonight's skills event.

Johansen needn't worry about his sprinting speed. He will participate in the breakaway challenge event for the team captained by Boston defenseman Zdeno Chara. The breakaway event, in which skaters are pitted one-on-one against a goalie and can roam the entire offensive zone before attempting to score, is similar to the shootout elimination event, which will close the competition.

That should suit Johansen."