My 2007 NHL All Stars
Western Conference
LW: Los Angeles Kings – Alexander Frolov: Frolov is quietly having a great season for the lowly Kings. As of today Frolov is the highest scoring LW in the Western Conference with 43 points (21-22-43)
RW: Anaheim Ducks – Teemu Selanne: It’s a toss up between Teemu and Jarome Iginla for the starting spot on the roster but by the end both guys will make the team. I’ll go with Selanne as the starter due to having ANOTHER great season after his renaissance season last year. Selanne is looking at another possible 50 goal season and just might get that Cup that would only solidify his Hall of Fame career.
C: San Jose Sharks – Joe Thornton: Big Joe was off to a slow start this season (Fans in Boston know how that goes) but has been picking up the pace and the Sharks have followed his beat. His numbers speak more of his great play as last years phenom Jonathan Cheechoo hasn’t followed up on much of anything this year.
D: Detroit Red Wings – Nicklas Lidstrom: Another year, another Norris Trophy? Lidstrom continues to be the most consistent Red Wing and after being given the ‘C’ he’s only managed to up his point total and move up to 5th in all-time points in Detroit.
D: Anaheim Ducks – Chris Pronger: This could change within the week because there’s another guy in Southern California (not Neidermeyer) who is basically an unknown in Lubomir Visnovsky who would have been an All Star last year had there been a game. In the meantime, Pronger gets the nod.
And sure enough Chris Pronger suffered a broken foot on 1-2-07. VOTE VISNOVSKY!
G: Detroit Red Wings – Dominik Hasek
G: Anaheim Ducks – Jean Sebastian Giguere
G: San Jose Sharks – Evgeni Nabakov
Eastern Conference
LW: Washington Capitals – Alexander Ovechkin: The reigning Calder Trophy winner will make his All Star debut and will most likely play alongside the runner up to the award as well. Ovechkin is currently tied for the overall goal scoring lead and sits at an even 50 points.
RW: Atlanta Thrashers – Marian Hossa: It’s rare when teams trade franchise players but the Sens and Thrashers did just that a couple of years ago and after the Sens faltered there great opportunities to win it all, the Thrashers seem to be the ones who have come out the winners. Hossa has been on a tear all season long and will perhaps end up as a Hart Trophy finalist.
C: Pittsburgh Penguins – Sidney Crosby: Well, well, well, Crosby leads the NHL in scoring…has pretty much lived up to all the hype and leads all players in All Star voting. He’s trying to lead the Pens into the playoffs despite all the mayhem going on with the franchise and the guys around him (Malkin, Staal, Fleury) will only get better.
D: Toronto Maple Leafs – Tomas Kaberle: Perhaps the biggest rise in numbers of any defenseman in the league. Kaberle is having another All Star season for the Leafs as they struggle to score goals. Kaberle’s team mate Bryan McCabe will most likely make the team as well but I’ll be giving that starting role to someone else.
D: Montreal Canadiens – Sheldon Souray: How long before Habs fans turn on him like they did on Patrice Brisebois? About 3 or 4 years from now without the Stanley Cup win. Souray has been brilliant and the Eastern Conference crop of good defensemen is deep (Boyle, McCabe) but Souray is deserving of a spot and his -1 rating is tops amongst all East coast D.
G: New Jersey Devils – Martin Brodeur
G: Montreal Canadiens – Cristobal Huet
G: Buffalo Sabres – Ryan Miller
Let’s see how bad the fans screw up the voting this year. The 2007 NHL All Star Weekend will be held in Dallas, home of the Stars, on the weekend of January 23rd-25th.
