Western Conference Allstar team

[Dr.Sens(e)]

Here is the line-up for the game, which I believe will take place tomorrow night.

A few players got the shaft based on requiring a player from each team in the West to be represented, with players like Toews and Lundqvist in particular, but such is the nature of these things...


FORWARD LINE-UP
Nash (Nash) - Cammalleri (ANA) - Hemsky (EDM)
Heatley (STL) - Thornton (STL) - Malkin (VAN)
Elias (SJ) - Nylander (COL) - Iginla (CAL)
Naslund (MINN) - Kessel (PHO) - Kane (LA)

DEFENCE
Pronger (STL) - LIDSTROM (DET)
Rafalski (ANA) - Chara (STL)
Boucher (CLB) - Keith (CHIC)

GOALIES
Giguere (COL)
Brodeur (VAN)
Kipper (DAL)

Click to read more...

 

[Ohio Jones]

That's a scary good team.

 

[Hossa]

That's just about the most ridiculous second line on paper. Dany Heatley will never have an easier night.

 

[SensGod]

That's a scary good team.

Yup...the St.Louis All-Stars look pretty good.

 

[Default101]

Not only is it a great line-up but he managed to fit all 15 teams in great job! looks like the west in strong in this one. Kane is a good passer, and Naslund is a former Coyote, so this could be good for Kessel

 

[Dr.Sens(e)]

Yup...the St.Louis All-Stars look pretty good.

Well, admittedly, it was actually hard to leave Alfredsson and Forsberg out, in particular when you look at the relative production of forwards in the west. But Forsberg spent most of the first half in the East (like Recchi), so he was out, and Alfie, while productive, was third fiddle amongst Blues forwards.

For the guys who did get in, Pronger was voted in and Heatley was essentially voted in at left wing as well, as he and Nash had a tie breaker for starting on the left side, so not my call. Thornton meanwhile was unquestionably one of the top centers in the west, so not a homer pick there from where I was sitting.

On defence, perhaps the most interesting aspect of this analysis was realizing what little production so many of the top d-men in the west had generated. Aside from Chara, Boucher and Rafalski, there were basically no prime candidates for the western confernence D-unit. Keith made it basically on rep. That, and I like the way the Hawks' GM rolls.