NHL All Star Starters - Dallas/NJD plot?

[DanCan]

The 2004 NHL All Star lineups are packed with Dallas and N.J. Devils players:

WEST: Turco (Dallas) - Lidström (Detroit) / Blake (Colorado) - Guerin (Dallas) Modano (Dallas) Bertuzzi (Vancouver)

EAST: Brodeur (NJD) - Stevens (NJD/Niedermayer (NJD) - Kovalchuk (Atlanta) Thornton (Boston) St. Louis (Tamba)


Seems to me that the good fans of Dallas and NJD have been busy at the ballot box. Guerin and Modano in the 2004 All star starting line up? Get real! Most people would agree that Modano has been a major disappointment with 8 goals and 17 assists in 40 games and a minus 19. The obvious choice for the first line center should have been Pavel Datsyuk who dominated the Western Conference - not to say the league - for more than a month in the first half of the season. The presence of Guerin in the starting line up is also really awkward - 14 goals and 18 assists in 44 games and minus 5. Has he really been one of the best forwards in the first half? Certainly not! What about Näslund (24 g. 28 as in 44 games and plus 21), Tanguay (13 g, 35 a in 41 games and plus 14), Doan (17 g, 27 a in 43 games and plus 9) or Nagy (20 g, 21 a in 42 games and plus 10). The only choice that really make sense is Rob Blake.
My choice for a Western starting line would be:

Boucher (his historical shutout record justify this) - Schneider (or Pronger) / Blake - Näslund (scoring leader in the NHL) - Datsyuk (hottest streak in the NHL in first half) - Forsberg (ok, he has been injured for a long period, but he still has the highest scoring average in the NHL--both before and after his injury).

In my opinion the Eastern starting lineup should have been:

Brodeur (fair enough, 9 shutouts justifies this choice) - Souray/Aucoin - Hossa, Lang, Kovalchuk

[Wide Asleep]

I guess it is kind of like the academy awards. The films that win that are generally the most popular films from the previous year with a little bit of artistic merit, as long as they fit a certain mold (sick person, etc). I mean Titanic winning a record number of oscars? Does that mean it is one of the best films of all time? My teeth still hurt after seeing that movie (I saw it inflight of all places!).

I am sure if we all polled who we thought deserved to be there, it would be different for each one of us.

[Balder]

I also noticed Niwe, niewend, newendiy, niewend**e, can't spell it, but you know who i mean got more votes than Sundin?
Not that he's not worthy, but Sundin should be ahead of him one would think. Must have been a LOT of New Jersey and stars fans voting for Joe.

How dare they!!

[pihinalle]

This whole all-star weekend has been a big joke for a long time.

[stjohnsleafsfan]

Sounds like a repeat of the 80s when the Isles and Oilers dominated the All-Star teams.