American Hockey League President Scott Howson announced that Chicago Blackhawks alumni Patrick Sharp and Kris Versteeg will serve as honorary captains for the 2026 AHL All-Star Classic in Rockford, Illinois. The event, presented by BMO, is scheduled for February 10-11 and will feature top young talent from the league.
The 2026 AHL All-Star Classic will take place February 10-11 in Rockford, Ill., with Sharp and Versteeg joining the participating teams in the locker room and on the benches. They will also be recognized for their careers at the annual AHL Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Ceremony.
Patrick Sharp played 163 games with the Philadelphia Phantoms over his first three professional seasons, recording 52 goals and 114 points. In 2004-05, he represented the Phantoms in the 2005 AHL All-Star Classic and contributed 21 points in 21 postseason games, including four goals and six points in the Finals, as Philadelphia won the Calder Cup. Sharp went on to play 939 regular-season games and 142 playoff games in the NHL with Philadelphia, Chicago and Dallas, playing a key role in the Blackhawks' Stanley Cup wins in 2010, 2013 and 2015. He also won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
Kris Versteeg appeared in 145 AHL games with Providence, Norfolk and Rockford, serving as captain of the IceHogs in 2019-20. In 2006-07, he tallied 26 goals and 72 points in 70 games, finishing fourth among AHL rookies in scoring. Versteeg played 643 NHL games over 11 seasons with Chicago, Toronto, Philadelphia, Florida, Carolina, Los Angeles and Calgary, earning NHL All-Rookie Team honors in 2008-09 and winning Stanley Cups with the Blackhawks in 2010 and 2015.
The All-Star Classic schedule includes the AHL All-Star Skills Competition on February 10, the Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Ceremony on February 11, and the AHL All-Star Challenge that evening. Since 1995, more than 94 percent of All-Star Classic participants have advanced to the NHL. The AHL, in operation since 1936, serves as the primary development league for the NHL, with nearly 90 percent of current NHL players being AHL graduates.