Brianna Decker to be paid $25K by CCM for skills competition

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Brianna Decker is getting paid after all.

Decker, a U.S. women's national team hockey player, demonstrated the premier passing drill at the NHL All-Star skills event on Friday night. She appeared to record a time of 1 minute, 6 seconds in the demo, which beat the eight NHL player participants, including winner Leon Draisaitl (1:09). The winner of the event was to receive $25,000, and that prize went to Draisaitl -- which upset many fans.

On Saturday, the hockey manufacturing company CCM decided to pay Decker itself. In a tweet posted Saturday afternoon, CCM announced that it would give Decker $25,000.

An NHL spokesperson declined to comment.

There was some confusion about when exactly the clock started for Decker's demo, but it is noteworthy that six of the other NHL participants --  Thomas Chabot, Roman Josi, Erik Karlsson,  Ryan O'Reilly, Mikko Rantanen and Keith Yandle -- took longer than 1:25 to complete the drill.

When asked about Decker's time after the competition, Draisaitl, the German-born Edmonton Oilers forward, said: "She beat me. Wow. That is impressive. That's really impressive. Good for her."

Decker, 27, plays for the Calgary Inferno of the CWHL. A University of Wisconsin alumna, she is the 2012 Patty Kazmaier Award winner as the top college hockey player in the country.

The NHL made news Friday by including Decker's U.S. women's national teammate, Kendall Coyne Schofield, in the fastest skater competition. Coyne Schofield became the first female to participate in the All-Star skills event. Coyne Schofield posted a time of 14.346 seconds, which placed seventh in a field that included Connor McDavid, Cam Atkinson, Mathew Barzal, Jack Eichel, Miro Heiskanen, Clayton Keller and Elias Pettersson. Coyne Schofield finished ahead of Keller's 14.526 seconds. McDavid won in 13.378, his third straight title in the event.

"Obviously, I was a little nervous," Coyne Schofield said afterward. "But I knew it was a moment that was going to break a lot of barriers and a moment that would change the perception of our game."

Coyne Schofield told ESPN on Ice on Saturday that she was aware of the groundswell of support for Decker, and she was on board for the campaign to get her paid: "I think she took first place. I mean, absolutely. I agree."

Also Saturday at the All-Star game, the NHL recognized Coyne Schofield, Decker and the two other women who demonstrated the drills (Canada's Renata Fast and Rebecca Johnston) on the JumboTron at the SAP Center, announcing that the league would donate $25,000 in the name of each player to the charity of her choice.