Breaking: Woman replaces MacKinnon in NHL All-Star fastest skater competition!

UPDATE: HERE IS HER LAP:

What a great move by the NHL for tonight's All-Star Skills competition! 

According to ESPN.com's Emily Kaplan, U.S. women's national team player Kendall Coyne will become the first woman to compete in the NHL All-Star skills competition as she replaces Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon in Friday's fastest skater event.

The 26-year-old woman "was originally slated to attend the event and demonstrate the skills, along with other female players. But when MacKinnon told the NHL he could not participate, organizers decided to call upon one of the speediest players on the U.S. women's squad," Kaplan points out. 

Coyne will go up against Columbus Blue Jackets' Cam Atkinson, New York Islanders' Mat Barzal, Buffalo Sabres' Jack Eichel, Dallas Stars' Miro Heiskanen, Arizona Coyotes' Clayton Keller, Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid and Vancouver Canucks rookie Elias Pettersson.

MacKinnon pulled out of the festivities to nurse a foot injury after he underwent an MRI. His status for the 2019 NHL All-Star Game on Saturday remains in doubt, and for now, he is said to be a game-time decision. He could face a mandatory one-game suspension when the Avalanche resume play if he steps out of competition.  However, he is in San Jose participating in the festivities looking to avoid the suspension. 

Coyne put up a time of 14.226 seconds in Thursday's testing without any practice or warmup, according to the NHL's Department of Hockey Operations. Last year, McDavid won the skill competition with a 13.454 time. 

CBC's Ron MacLean mentioned ahead of the competition that MacKinnon suggested Coyle after seeing her on the ice. 

Can't wait to see what she can do!