USA TODAY International Edition
Choosing All- Stars not an exact science
Nature of selections always leaves some with bruised egos
The NHL is planning to announce this week rosters for the All- Star Game, scheduled for Jan. 29 in Los Angeles.
The league again will be using the 3- on- 3 tournament format.
Here is a projection of what rosters, with 11 players chosen from each division, could look like.
ATLANTIC DIVISION
Forwards: Aleksander Barkov ( Florida Panthers), Nikita Kucherov ( Tampa Bay Lightning), Auston Matthews ( Toronto Maple Leafs), Brad Marchand ( Boston Bruins), Kyle Okposo ( Buffalo Sabres), Henrik Zetterberg ( Detroit Red Wings) Defensemen: Erik Karlsson ( Ottawa Senators), Victor Hedman ( Lightning), Shea Weber ( Montreal Canadiens) Goaltenders: Carey Price, ( captain, Montreal Canadiens),
Tuukka Rask ( Bruins) The thinking behind the
picks: I would have preferred to take Jack Eichel as Buffalo’s representative, but he hasn’t played enough games. Fans probably would want Jaromir Jagr. But I’m guessing Jagr and the Panthers wouldn’t mind the 44- year- old taking time to rest up for the stretch drive. The goaltenders and defensemen picked themselves.
METROPOLITAN DIVISION
Forwards: Sidney Crosby ( captain, Pittsburgh Penguins), Cam Atkinson ( Columbus Blue Jackets), Taylor Hall ( New Jersey Devils), Evgeni Malkin ( Penguins), Jakub Voracek ( Philadelphia Flyers), John Tavares ( New York Islanders)
Defensemen: Zach Werenski ( Blue Jackets), Jaccob Slavin ( Carolina Hurricanes), Ryan McDonagh ( New York Rangers)
Goalies: Sergei Bobrovsky ( Blue Jackets), Braden Holtby ( Washington Capitals) The thinking behind the picks: To get a player for every team, a defenseman was the best choice from Carolina. Slavin and Justin Faulk both have 16 points, and Slavin has gained many admirers since entering the league. I could have taken Claude Giroux or Wayne Simmonds from Philadelphia, but Voracek has 39 points. There is no room for Pittsburgh’s Phil Kessel, even though he is deserving.
CENTRAL DIVISION
Forwards: Patrick Kane ( Chicago Blackhawks), Artemi Panarin ( Blackhawks), Tyler Seguin ( Dallas Stars), Nathan MacKinnon ( Colorado Avalanche), Mark Scheifele ( Winnipeg Jets) and Vladimir Tarasenko ( St. Louis Blues) Defensemen: P. K. Subban ( captain, Nashville Predators), Ryan Suter ( Minnesota Wild) and Duncan Keith ( Blackhawks) Goaltenders: Devan Dubnyk ( Wild) and Corey Crawford ( Blackhawks) The thinking behind the
picks: Dubnyk ( 21- 7- 3, 1.80 goals- against average, .939 save percentage) and Crawford ( 15- 8- 3, 2.33, .925) were easy choices in net. Their numbers don’t lie. Suter and Keith earned the nod over Alex Pietrangelo ( Blues) on defense. Wish we could find room for Eric Staal, who has rediscovered his magic in Minnesota.
PACIFIC DIVISION
Forwards: Connor McDavid ( captain, Edmonton Oilers), Jeff Carter ( Los Angeles Kings), Johnny Gaudreau ( Calgary Flames), Ryan Kesler ( Anaheim Ducks), Joe Pavelski ( San Jose Sharks), Bo Horvat ( Vancouver Canucks) Defensemen: Brent Burns ( Sharks), Oliver Ekman- Larsson
( Arizona Coyotes), Drew Doughty ( Kings) Goalies: Martin Jones ( Sharks) and Peter Budaj ( Kings) The thinking behind the
picks: Horvat gives the game new blood, and he has played the best out of the Vancouver forwards. The goaltending is more challenging than you think, and Budaj received extra points for stepping up in a difficult situation when regular Jonathan Quick was injured. But feel free to believe that Cam Talbot ( Oilers) or even Chad Johnson ( Flames) should be the goalie. I just couldn’t fit Leon Draisaitl ( Oilers) into the mix.