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View Full Version : 2008 All star Starters announced (3 Wings)



WTFchris
01-08-2008, 04:22 PM
Starters, as voted by fans, for the NHL All-Star Game to be played Jan. 27 in Atlanta:
Eastern Conference:
F: Sidney Crosby (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=3114), Pens
F: Vincent Lecavalier (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=523), Lightning
F: Daniel Alfredsson (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=12), Senators
D: Andrei Markov (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=574), Habs
D: Zdeno Chara (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=145), Bruins
G: Martin Brodeur (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=108), Devils
Western Conference:
F: Henrik Zetterberg (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=1964), Wings
F: Pavel Datsyuk (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=1223), Wings
F: Jarome Iginla (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=401), Flames
D: Nicklas Lidstrom (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=539), Wings
D: Dion Phaneuf (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=2282), Flames
G: Roberto Luongo (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=551), Canucks

Crosby top vote-getter, Red Wings with three in starting lineup

Associated Press

NEW YORK -- The Detroit Red Wings (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/clubhouse?team=det) dominated the first half of the NHL season. Now they're taking over the All-Star Game, too. And Sidney Crosby (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=3114) is starting to do the same.

Crosby, the 20-year-old reigning NHL MVP, topped All-Star voting for the second straight year and will start again for the Eastern Conference, the league announced Tuesday.
The Pittsburgh Penguins (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/clubhouse?team=pit) captain, in his third NHL season, received 507,274 votes, nearly 200,000 more than anyone else in the East, and about 30,000 more than Western Conference leader Nicklas Lidstrom (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=539).
Detroit is the second team in two years to place three players in an All-Star starting lineup. The Buffalo Sabres (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/clubhouse?team=buf) did it a season ago for the East en route to the first Presidents' Trophy in franchise history.
Lidstrom, a five-time Norris Trophy-winning defenseman, will join Red Wings teammates Henrik Zetterberg (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=1964) and Pavel Datsyuk (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=1223) in the Western Conference starting lineup on Jan. 27 in Atlanta.
Lidstrom, who received 477,787 votes, will partner with Calgary Flames defenseman Dion Phaneuf (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=2282) on the blue line while Jarome Iginla (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=401) -- also of the Flames -- plays up front with Zetterberg and Datsyuk.
Zetterberg and Datsyuk are among eight first-time All-Star starters. Iginla and Phaneuf, who have helped Calgary take over first place in the Northwest Division, are also set to make their initial starts.
Vancouver's Roberto Luongo (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=551) got the starting nod in goal for the West.
Crosby, who entered Tuesday ranked fourth in the NHL with 57 points, got the most votes again but earned 318,509 fewer votes -- a 39 percent drop -- than he garnered for the 2007 game in Dallas when approximately 28 million ballots were cast.
Last year, Crosby at 19 years, five months, became the youngest player voted into the starting lineup since fan balloting began in 1986. He went on to be the NHL's youngest scoring champion with 120 points.
His linemates in Atlanta will be current scoring leader Vincent Lecavalier of the Tampa Bay Lightning (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/clubhouse?team=tam) and Ottawa Senators (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/clubhouse?team=ott) right winger Daniel Alfredsson (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=12), both of whom will be making their first All-Star starts. Lecavalier is going to his third All-Star game, while Alfredsson will be playing in his fifth.
On defense will be fellow first-time starters Andrei Markov (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=574) of the Montreal Canadiens (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/clubhouse?team=mon) and Zdeno Chara (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=145) of the Boston Bruins (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/clubhouse?team=bos). Markov is the only starter making his first All-Star appearance. Chara is going for the third time.
New Jersey goalie Martin Brodeur (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=108) was elected for the fourth time and will take part in his 10th All-Star Game, tying Lidstrom for the most among this year's starters. Lidstrom is in the starting lineup for the eighth time.
Surprisingly, the league's top two goal scorers, Ilya Kovalchuk (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=1175) of the Atlanta Thrashers (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/clubhouse?team=atl) (34 goals) and Washington's Alex Ovechkin -- tied with Iginla with 32 -- weren't elected to start for the East. Ovechkin was fifth in votes among forwards with 177,574, while Kovalchuk came in sixth with 173,629.
It is only fitting that Red Wings make up half the West's starting lineup because they are running away with the Central Division and have a commanding edge in the race for home-ice advantage throughout the conference playoffs.
Detroit entered play Tuesday with a mark of 32-8-3 and 67 points, 15 more than Dallas. The Red Wings became the first NHL team to win 30 games in the first half of the season when they beat the Stars last Wednesday.
Zetterberg was chosen to his second All-Star team, but sat out last year because of an injury. Phaneuf and Datsyuk are also All-Stars for the second time, and Iginla will play in his fourth.
Luongo was voted to the West starting lineup for the second straight season following his trade from Florida to Vancouver in 2006, and will be an All-Star for the third time.
Western Conference reserves, chosen by the NHL's hockey operations department along with general managers, will be announced Thursday. The rest of the Eastern Conference roster will be revealed Friday.

WTFchris
01-08-2008, 04:24 PM
Osgood better make it as a reserve. Glad to see those are chosen by GM's which won't overlook him.

Zekyl
01-08-2008, 06:40 PM
He'd better make it or I'll be pissed. The three guys that are starting deserve to be starting. Actually, I think all the starters are the right choices, from what I've seen this year. I'd have liked to see Osgood starting, but Luongo is just as good of a choice.

Wilfredo Ledezma
01-08-2008, 11:35 PM
Osgood > Luongo

Ozzie wasn't even on the ballott...he was the "Curtis Granderson" of the NHL All-Star Game Ballott

WTFchris
01-08-2008, 11:55 PM
Ozzie has the same number of wins in 11 less games, plus the best GAA as well.

H1Man
01-09-2008, 12:27 AM
Ozzie won't make it.

It's a numbers game. Luongo is already in as a starter and Nabokov is pretty much a lock to be there as well. The 3rd spot is between Leclaire and Osgood, and Leclaire has done as well as Osgood on a much worse team, so he will end up going (plus Columbus needs a representative).

Zekyl
01-09-2008, 10:32 AM
If Osgood doesn't make it, that's complete bullshit. He was voted the Red Wings MVP of the first half by a HUGE margin. The guy has completely dominated the league thusfar!

WTFchris
01-09-2008, 10:46 AM
Ozzie and Rafalski should make it IMO.

Zekyl
01-09-2008, 11:38 AM
I think Rafalski should definitely make it as a backup D. Just look at his numbers and how great he's played this year.

H1Man
01-10-2008, 01:15 AM
With Luongo turning down the ASG starter's spot, Ozzie will likely be named as a reserve.

WTFchris
01-10-2008, 12:54 PM
Ozzie made it, but Rafalski did not:

http://www.nhl.com/allstar/2008/west_roster.html

WTFchris
01-10-2008, 01:10 PM
He got screwed by Keith making it. He has more than twice the points of Keith and a higher +/- as well.

Zekyl
01-10-2008, 01:14 PM
He got screwed by Keith making it. He has more than twice the points of Keith and a higher +/- as well.
Maybe they took into account that being paired with Lidstrom can help out a lot in that department.

Zekyl
01-10-2008, 01:15 PM
Wait, Manny Legace?

WTFchris
01-10-2008, 01:16 PM
Maybe they took into account that being paired with Lidstrom can help out a lot in that department.

So? Did they not take Jagr when he played with Mario? Should Pavel not make it because he plays with Hank a lot?

Performance is performance, regardless of who you play with IMO.

Zekyl
01-10-2008, 01:19 PM
I was just throwing the idea out there. I think he deserved to make it.

WTFchris
01-10-2008, 01:21 PM
do they do the baseball rule of 1 guy from every team? maybe that is why (and also why Legace made it)

Zekyl
01-10-2008, 01:33 PM
Not that I know of. I've never heard about them doing that before. I thought there were 3 goalies per side, the fans voted in Luongo but they have Legace, Osgood, and Nabakov listed.

WTFchris
01-10-2008, 01:47 PM
Luongo withdrew to spend time with his pregnant wife. I'm not sure how the starter is decided now. Babcock said he didn't know if it was his choice.

Zekyl
01-10-2008, 01:49 PM
I can respect that. I'd like to think I'd go with that option if I were him. It's the classy move.