Lundqvist, Staal head BONY All-Star List

Yesterday, the NHL released the rest of the 2010-11 All-Stars with teams getting decided the old fashioned way. Like a pickup game with two captains choosing which players they want in what should be a fun format. Imagine Henrik Lundqvist coming up against Marc Staal or better yet, Staal facing off against brother Eric. Could the Sedins be matched up against each other or perhaps Crosby battled Malkin assuming he recovers from a concussion to play in Raleigh.

The possibilities are endless for nothing more than an exhibition showcasing the game's best talent. Thus adding a little spice to it which should liven things up for everyone involved.

The Rangers will be well represented with both Lundqvist and Staal appearing in the game while bright rookie Derek Stepan takes part in the Skills Competition. While you could make a strong case for Brandon Dubinsky over Lundqvist, it's hard to argue over the selections. Though one wonders if maybe Jonathan Quick should've gotten the nod over Henrik or hometown Cane Cam Ward, who we have always been a fan of. It'll be Lundqvist's second appearance while Marc Staal makes his first. Well deserving in our book, emerging as the Rangers' top defenseman while teamed with overlooked Dan Girardi, who you could make a case for.

The Islanders are represented by rookie Michael Grabner, whose fared well since the club claimed him off waivers from Vancouver. With John Tavares being passed up, Grabner gets the call. His nine goals rank fourth on the club with each coming at even strength. If he can become more consistent in that department, he could be a vital part of the Isles' core. One which will include Kyle Okposo, who's finally skating.

Patrik Elias goes for the Devils over team minus Ilya Kovalchuk and sentimental choice Martin Brodeur. This is probably the right call for the last place team who's still getting a decent year from the popular veteran left wing. Despite only nine goals, the classy Elias paces the club with 21 assists, 30 points and five power play goals, proving he's still a good player even in a trying year. Just look at his plus/minus (-9) compared to Kovalchuk (league worst -29). It tells you everything you need to know about the prideful Elias, who will always be one of our most admired Devils.

The Sabres will be represented by Thomas Vanek, who after a slow start has done his part pacing Lindy Ruff's club in goals (16), power play goals (8), power play points (15) and shots on goal (128). If only Derek Roy hadn't gone down, Buffalo might have a shot at getting back in it. At least Drew Stafford's (14 goals) finally fulfilling potential and Jordan Leopold (10-14-24) has been a pleasant surprise. Rookie Tyler Ennis will also take part in the skills with his 19 points showing promise for Buffalo's future.

Along with fan selections consisting of Pens Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Marc-Andre Fleury along with Hawks' tandem Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith, here's a look at the entire roster by team:

Ana-Corey Perry, Jonas Hiller
Atl-Dustin Byfuglien, Tobias Enstrom
Bos-Zdeno Chara, Tim Thomas
Buf-Thomas Vanek
Cgy-Jarome Iginla
Car-Eric Staal, Cam Ward
Chi-Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith, Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp
Col-Matt Duchene
CBJ-Rick Nash
Dal-Brad Richards, Loui Eriksson
Det-Nick Lidstrom
Edm-Ales Hemsky
Fla-Evgeny Dadonov*
LA-Anze Kopitar
Min-Brent Burns
Mtl-Carey Price
Nsh-Shea Weber
NJD-Patrik Elias
NYI-Michael Grabner*
NYR-Marc Staal, Henrik Lundqvist
Ott-Erik Karlsson
Phi-Claude Giroux
Phx-Oliver Ekman-Larsson*
Pit-Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Marc-Andre Fleury
Stl-David Backes
SJ-Dan Boyle
TB-Steven Stamkos, Martin St. Louis
Tor-Phil Kessel
Van-Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin, Ryan Kesler
Wsh-Alex Ovechkin, Mike Green

Rookies

Logan Couture, SJ
Jordan Eberle, Edm
Taylor Hall, Edm
Cam Fowler, Ana
Tyler Ennis, Buf
Derek Stepan, NYR
Kevin Shattenkirk, Col
Tyler Seguin, Bos
Michael Grabner, NYI
Evgeny Dadonov, Fla
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Phx
Jeff Skinner, Car

Our All-Stars

Today, the All-Star teams are named. Figure there to be a few surprises with a new way of selecting the squads for the game in Raleigh. Be that as it may, here's how my Eastern Conference team would look:

EAST

G Tim Thomas, Bruins
G Carey Price, Canadiens
G Ondrej Pavelec, Thrashers

D Dustin Byfuglien, Thrashers
D Tobias Enstrom, Thrashers
D Kris Letang, Penguins
D Zdeno Chara, Bruins
D Erik Karlsson, Senators
D Dan Girardi, Rangers

F Sidney Crosby, Penguins
F Steven Stamkos, Lightning
F Martin St. Louis, Lightning
F Alex Ovechkin, Capitals
F Mike Richards, Flyers
F Eric Staal, Hurricanes
F Claude Giroux, Flyers
F Andrew Ladd, Thrashers
F Alexander Semin, Capitals
F Nicklas Backstrom, Capitals
F Evgeni Malkin, Penguins
F Brandon Dubinsky, Rangers

WEST

G Jonathan Quick, Kings
G Jonas Hiller, Ducks
G Jaroslav Halak, Blues

D Nick Lidstrom, Red Wings
D Brent Burns, Wild
D Niklas Kronwall, Red Wings
D John-Michael Liles, Avalanche
D-Ryan Whitney, Oilers
D-Keith Yandle, Coyotes

F Daniel Sedin, Canucks
F Henrik Sedin, Canucks
F Henrik Zetterberg, Red Wings
F Brad Richards, Stars
F Corey Perry, Ducks
F Anze Kopitar, Kings
F Patrick Sharp, Blackhawks
F Matt Duchene, Avalanche
F Loui Eriksson, Stars
F Jarome Iginla, Flames
F Ryan Getzlaf, Ducks
F Ryane Clowe, Sharks

Random thoughts

Since I'm not able to go to tonight's Thrashing of the Rangers (yeah that's what I said), I figured what better time than now to give you the hockey fan some of my total randomness. In no particular order:

1.When is the NHL going to stop allowing their star players to walk all over them? No. We're not talking about Gary Bettman's new CBA with a rising cap where teams are panicking and signing their own players to ridiculously long contracts. What I am referring to is the latest news about the upcoming All-Star Game in Atlanta.

Why should a star player such as Martin Brodeur be allowed to miss a game which is for the fans? You think he's going to miss any upcoming starts between tonight in Philadelphia when he does what he usually does to them and Sunday?!?!?!?!?! It is an absolute joke that the league doesn't step in and do the right thing by the fans who want to see the league's marquee stars lace'em up in a fun-filled skills competition.

Unless you're out with an excuse (injury, family crisis, health issue), it should be your obligation to take part in the All-Star Game. Especially if your own fans voted you in as a starter. Brodeur is still the best netminder in the conference and plenty of people want to see him. Even now as the three-time Vezina and Cup winner gets older, the Montreal native is still one of the NHL's biggest stars. Someone who is marketable and treats fans and writers alike with nothing but class. No.30 should be in net for that first period in Atlanta. No if's, and's or buts.

That also means you Roberto Luongo! The fans deserve to see the Vancouver netminder at the opposite end of the rink against Marty. The fact that the two league's top goalies were elected and won't participate for unknown reasons looks bad. They're what this game should be about.

This goes for any player who is elected. Unfortunately, the league already lost their most identifiable star in Sidney Crosby due to a high ankle sprain which appears will keep the 2006-07 Hart winner out at least six weeks. And losing one of the bright young stars out West in Paul Stastny due to injury doesn't help much. Neither does one of the game's best players in Henrik Zetterberg for no other apparent reason than wanting to rest due to recurring back spasms.


If the league wants to be taken seriously, put out the best players for this game and make it a priority. The encouraging news is at least Evgeni Malkin replaced Crosby and Tim Thomas is now in place of Brodeur. The surprising Boston No.1 goalie certainly was worthy of making it.

On the other side, Corey Perry and Mike Ribeiro will get to take part. They certainly both belong. Scott Niedermayer was also tabbed probably as a league selection due to his veteran status. He certainly hasn't disappointed since returning to the defending champion Ducks posting 11 points in 17 games and helping lead his team to the top of the Pacific.


2.Hell or high water, Tom Renney has to go. His message clearly isn't getting through anymore to the underachieving Blueshirts. There's little effort. No discipline. And zero accountability. The affable coach is good at analyzing the team's problems. The problem is he never punishes his best players and that's not a good recipe for success. This team is severely lacking and has become softer than a box of Twinkies.

If the Ranger organization wants to save their season, they must bring in a tough cop. Pat Burns would be perfect. So too would John Tortorella if he ever gets fired down in Tampa. It's more likely that Jim Schoenfeld takes over if the Rangers don't get a win tonight or on Brian Leetch night against Atlanta.

3.Speaking of which, how is it possible that the Rangers host the Thrashers twice in a row??? What are the schedule makers doing? If it were a traditional home-and-home like the games against the Bruins, that would make more sense. Give both fanbases a chance to see a rivalry formulate.

4.Rookie Nicklas Backstrom continues to play extremely well on the resurgent Caps who now are over .500 and just three points behind first place Carolina and the eighth seeded Islanders. The former 2006 Caps' fourth overall selection became the first rookie in league history to record back-to-back four assist games. He assisted on four Washington goals in a come from behind 6-5 shootout win over Pittsburgh last night. With nine goals and a team-leading 31 helpers, his 40 points place him second to only Chicago rookie forward Patrick Kane, who has 45 points (12-33-45).

Backstrom's strong play along with NHL-leading goalscorer Alexander Ovechkin (38 goals), the reemergence of Alexander Semin (5 goals in last four contests) and Mike Green (14-16-30; 14 pts in last 10 GP) have Bruce Boudreau's Caps thinking playoffs.

5.Now that John Ferguson, Jr.'s finally been giving his walking papers in Toronto, when does the Original Six franchise realize their problems are a lot more than just one executive???

6.Can anyone think of any good reason how Mats Sundin was passed over for the East?

7.If he gets the Bruins in the playoffs despite no Patrice Bergeron and other regulars out, does former Devil coach Claude Julien win the Jack Adams?

8.Tomas Vokoun's a good goalie but he's not better than Florida captain Olli Jokinen.

9.Remember when Bill Guerin was a bad move for the Islanders? How's that turning out?

10.Speaking of which, Dainius Zubrus: 47 games, seven goals. He's still got another five years left on his deal in New Jersey. Somehow, the Devils are still winning games. Brodeur and first-year coach Brent Sutter are the biggest reasons why.

Malkin 3 Jagr 1 Conklin > Lundqvist

If this looks like some sort of complex mathematics formula, then yeah. Chances are it probably is.

Translation: Malkin scores three goals while Jagr scores only one. Ty Conklin makes clutch stops setting a new career high with 43 saves while Henrik Lundqvist allows cruddy rebounds like Malkin's winner which "Franchise goalies" aren't supposed to give up.

Not that we're pinning this all on King Henrik who's Dad is still sick which can't be helping his concentration. His team failed to show for the first 20 and paid the price because when you face a hot goalie who's as unconscious as Conklin is now, you're not coming back from three down. Especially against him, Sid the Kid, Malkin and that team which looked a heck of a lot more organized than the Booshirts did.

Who cares if Jagr scored his fourth power play goal to break up the shutout midway through the third? Did anyone actually believe they'd get anything else by Conklin AKA the new Dominator (well at least for now anyway).

Think about that. Jagr has FOUR POWER PLAY GOALS. FOOOOOOOOUR! FOREEEEEEEEE!!!!!

The last word of course intentional because the way he's not produced on the PP, they'll be warming up the golf clubs at least two months earlier than anyone at 2 Penn Plaza expected.

I've lost faith. This team just doesn't inspire much now.

37 games remaining. Will they wake up before it's too late?!?!?!?!?!

Let them prove me wrong. Does anybody think this team even if they make it will do anything substantial this Spring? Not as long as No.68 is wearing the 'C.'


I take back the Cup prediction. I must've been on something.


P.S. How is Malkin not on the All-Star team? This business of representing every team is a joke. We're talking about a meaningless exhibition. That means the fans in Atlanta should get to see all the game's brightest and best stars. Malkin is one of the best young players in the league and he won't be there because the league has to make every team feel good. Bull shit.

I'm done.

All-Star starters announced, Brodeur gets nod in goal for East

Earlier today, the league announced the starters for the upcoming All-Star Game.

Here's who that elite list of stars will include:

2008 Eastern Conference All-Star Team Starting Lineup

Goal: Martin Brodeur, New Jersey

Defense: Andrei Markov, Montreal
Defense: Zdeno Chara, Boston

Forward: Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh
Forward: Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay
Forward: Daniel Alfredsson, Ottawa

2008 Western Conference All-Star Team Starting Lineup

Goal: Roberto Luongo, Vancouver

Defense: Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit
Defense: Dion Phaneuf, Calgary

Forward: Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit
Forward: Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit
Forward: Jarome Iginla, Calgary


From the look of things, two quick notes:

1.No Ilya Kovalchuk for the stacked East
2.The Western lineup with the exception of goaltender is made up of all Red Wings and Flames.


We'll have much more later on.