Forwards
Patrice Bergeron, centre, no.37, Boston Bruins
10G, 21A, 31 PTS, 42 GP, 0.74 P/G, 59.0 CF%
Bergeron has had lots of success in the NHL thanks to elite two-way play. This is Bergeron’s first All-Star Game.
Sidney Crosby, centre, no.87, Pittsburgh Penguins
11G, 32A, 43 PTS, 37 GP, 1.16 P/G, 54.1 CF%
Crosby is again among the elite point-getters this year, but has missed some games, so is in a tighter race for the scoring title. Crosby represented Pittsburgh in the 2007 All-Star Game. He was also named to the 2008, 2009, and 2011 All-Star Games, but missed due to injury,
Patrik Elias, centre, no.26, New Jersey Devils
6G, 12A, 18 PTS, 34 GP, 0.53 P/G, 50.4 CF%
Elias has had a long and fruitful career. At age 38 and declining in points production, Elias was named to the All-Star Game as more of a tribute thanks to his body of work. Elias represented New Jersey in the 2000, 2002, and 2011 All-Star Games.
Nick Foligno, left wing, no.71, Columbus Blue Jackets
17G, 22A, 39 PTS, 38 GP, 1.03 P/G, 50.3 CF%
While a serviceable top-nine winger, Foligno wasn’t a major producer in the past. That’s changed this year, with Foligno on pace to top the 30-goal and 80-point marks. This is Foligno’s first All-Star Game.
Ryan Getzlaf, centre, no.15, Anaheim Ducks
13G, 32A, 45 PTS, 41 GP, 1.10 P/G, 51.0 CF%
Coming off his first 30-goal season, Getzlaf is once again producing at an elite clip. His scoring rate is well over his career-average 0.97. Getzlaf represented Anaheim in the 2008 and 2009 All-Star Games.
Zemgus Girgensons, no.28, centre, Buffalo Sabres
11G, 9A, 20 PTS, 43 GP, 0.47 P/G, 37.1 CF%
Girgensons isn’t scoring like a star player, but he’s performing at an elite level compared to his Sabres teammates, leading them with 11 goals and ranking second with 20 points. Thanks to Sabres fans and fans in his native Latvia, Girgensons led the fan vote with 1,574,896 votes. This is Girgensons’ first All-Star Game.
Claude Giroux, no.28, centre, Philadelphia Flyers
14G, 32A, 46 PTS, 41 GP, 1.12 P/G, 53.7 CF%
Giroux has been an elite centre. In his third season as the Flyers’ captain, Giroux is coming off a playoff miss and a down year offensively, and is back to form, on pace to flirt with 30 goals and top 90 points. Giroux represented Philadelphia in the 2011 and 2012 All-Star Games.
Ryan Johansen, no.19, centre, Columbus Blue Jackets
15G, 23A, 38 PTS, 39 GP, 0.97 P/G, 47.2 CF%
Coming off his breakout season of 33 goals and 63 points, Johansen is on pace for nearly a point per game. This is Johansen’s first All-Star Game.
Tyler Johnson, no.9, centre, Tampa Bay Lightning
17G, 28A, 45 PTS, 42 GP, 1.07 P/G, 55.4 CF%
Johnson, like former teammate Martin St. Louis, has been an incredible story. He was undrafted, broke into the NHL with basically no expectations due to his lack of size and draft pedigree, only to produce like a star almost immediately. Johnson, as of this writing, is actually ahead of superstar teammate Steven Stamkos in overall points. This is Johnson’s first All-Star Game.
Patrick Kane, no.88, right wing, Chicago Blackhawks
20G, 25A, 45 PTS, 42 GP, 1.07 P/G, 53.0 CF%
Kane, as is expected of a first-overall pick, has been elite for a long time. This season, Kane;s showing sniping ability to accompany his sublime stickhandling and top set-up skills. Kane represented Chicago in the 2009, 2011, and 2012 All-Star Games.
Phil Kessel, no.81, right wing, Toronto Maple Leafs
19G, 24A, 43 PTS, 42 GP, 1.02 P/G, 42.9 CF%
As you can see with that stat line, Kessel remains an elite sniper, even with his weak defensive play, lack of creativity, and perceived character issues. He can’t carry a team, but is deserving of his top line position. Kessel represented Toronto in the 2011 and 2012 All-Star Games.
Anze Kopitar, no.11, centre, Los Angeles Kings
8G, 22A, 30 PTS, 38 GP, 0.79 P/G, 57.9 CF%
I’m about to say something that may get people mad at me. Kopitar could stand to score more. Even if his point production isn’t elite (it isn’t), he’s a very effective two-way player and a good fit on the All-Star squad. Kopitar represented Los Angeles in the 2008 and 2011 All-Star Games.
Evgeni Malkin, no.71, centre Pittsburgh Penguins
18G, 27A, 45 PTS, 40 GP, 1.13 P/G, 54.2 CF%
Malkin plays second-fiddle to Sidney Crosby in Pittsburgh, but has been scoring only 0.03 points-per-game fewer than Crosby. He has also scored two more points so far, and has played in every game so far this season. Malkin represented Pittsburgh in the 2008, 2009, and 2012 All-Star Games. He was also named to the 2011 game, but missed due to injury.
Rick Nash, no.61, left wing, New York Rangers
25G, 15A, 40 PTS, 38 GP, 1.05 P/G, 49.7 CF%
After a truly bad season in 2013/14, Nash has surprised by not only returning to an elite scoring pace, but setting pace to blow his previous career-high of 41 goals. If Nash can keep it up, he’ll compete for the Richard Trophy. Nash represented Columbus in the 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2011 All-Star Games.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, no.93, centre, Edmonton Oilers
11G, 14A, 25 PTS, 40 GP, 0.63 P/G, 50.1 CF%
While Nugent-Hopkins is actually scoring at the lowest points-per-game rate, not counting the wonky outlier that is the lockout season, of his career, he is on pace for 22 goals, which would be the highest total of his career. This is Nugent-Hopkins’ first All-Star Game.
Alex Ovechkin, no.8, left wing, Washington Capitals
21G, 15A, 36 PTS, 40 GP, 0.90 P/G, 53.7 CF%
The last couple of seasons have been weird for Ovechkin. While he’s still scoring a lot of goals, his teammates have done such a poor job of scoring their own goals that he barely gets more points overall than goals alone. It isn’t quite as bad this year as last year. Ovechkin represented Washington in the 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2011 All-Star Games. He was also named to the 2012 game, but refused to participate.
Bobby Ryan, no.6, right wing, Ottawa Senators
12G, 15A, 27 PTS, 37 GP, 0.73 P/G, 47.3 CF%
Ryan is arguably Ottawa’s best offensive player. He has had his struggles the last little while, having not reached 30 goals since the lockout, and not setting pace to do so this year either. However, he has an accomplished body of work. He topped 30 goals in each of his four pre-lockout seasons, the first of which was his rookie season. He is the second-highest-scoring American since his debut. This is Ryan’s first All-Star Game.
Tyler Seguin, no.91, centre, Dallas Stars
26G, 22A, 48 PTS, 41 GP, 1.17 P/G, 53.5 CF%
While he performed well offensively in Boston and had a strong first season in Dallas, Seguin has been a superstar this season. He’s on pace for to challenge for both the Richard and Art Ross trophies. Seguin represented Boston in the 2012 All-Star Game.
Steven Stamkos, no.91, centre, Tampa Bay Lightning
22G, 18A, 40 PTS, 43 GP, 0.93 P/G, 57.2 CF%
While Stamkos is, surprisingly, on pace for only 76 points, short of sophomore teammate Tyler Johnson and his own career-high, Stamkos is still on pace for a respectable team-leading 42 goals. Stamkos represented Tampa Bay in the 2011 and 2012 All-Star Games.
Vladimir Tarasenko, no.91, right wing, St. Louis Blues
22G, 21A, 43 PTS, 41 GP, 1.05 P/G, 54.3 CF%
On pace for 44 goals, Tarasenko has single-handedly turned St. Louis from a low-output score-by-committee outfit to an enviable and competitive group, in only his third season. This is Tarasenko’s first All-Star Game.
John Tavares, no.91, centre, New York Islanders
19G, 20A, 39 PTS, 41 GP, 0.95 P/G, 54.7 CF%
After a down scoring year last season, Tavares is on pace for a career-high 38 goals. In his second season as captain, Tavares seems poised for his second career playoff appearance. Tavares represented the Islanders in the 2012 All-Star Game.
Jonathan Toews, centre, no.19, Chicago Blackhawks
13G, 23A, 36 PTS, 42 GP, 0.86 P/G, 56.9 CF%
Though he missed chunks of the last two full seasons, Toews is on pace for 82 games and to top 70 points for the first time since 2011. Toews has led the way as Chicago has continued to lead the NHL. Toews represented Chicago in the 2009 and 2011 All-Star Games. He was also named to the 2012 game, but was missed due to injury.
Jakub Voracek, right wing, no.93, Philadelphia Flyers
16G, 34A, 50 PTS, 42 GP, 1.19 P/G, 55.9 CF%
While he scored nearly a point-per-game in 2013/13 and topped 60 points in 2013/14, Voracek is competing for hardware this season. A 2007 first-rounder, Voracek is the first player this season to reach 50 points and is challenging for the Art Ross Trophy. This is Voracek’s first All-Star game.
Radim Vrbata, right wing, no.17, Vancouver Canucks
16G, 13A, 29 PTS, 36 GP, 0.81 P/G, 50.7 CF%
While prior to this season, Vrbata had a bit of a reputation as a one-team producer, scoring well with the Coyotes, but not so much with other teams. That’s changed this year in Vancouver, where Vrbata’s production has seen an uptick thanks to play with the Sedin twins. Vrbata is on pace for his first 30-goal 60-point season outside Arizona.
Defencemen
Brent Burns, no.88, San Jose Sharks
11G, 23A, 34 PTS, 42 GP, 0.81 P/G, 52.5 CF%
Going into this season, I insisted that Burns, as a forward/defence swingman being used on defence despite being a better forward, should be traded to Winnipeg for Dustin Byfuglien, a forward/defence swingman being used at forward despite being a better defenceman. Now that he’s on pace for over 20 goals and 60 points, I’m singing a different tune. Burns represented Minnesota in the 2011 All-Star Game.
Dustin Byfuglien, no.33, Winnipeg Jets
9G, 13A, 22 PTS, 41 GP, 0.54 P/G, 51.2 CF%
Going into this season, I insisted that Byfuglien, as a forward/defence swingman being used at forward despite being a better defenceman, should be traded to San Jose for Brent Burns, a forward/defence swingman being used on defence despite being a better forward. Now that he’s back on defence, helping lead Winnipeg to the playoffs, and in the Norris conversation, I’m singing a different tune. Byfuglien represented Atlanta in the 2011 All-Star Game. He was also named to the 2012 game, but missed due to injury.
Drew Doughty, no.8, Los Angeles Kings
4G, 20A, 24 PTS, 41 GP, 0.59 P/G, 56.8 CF%
Though I think he’d be truly elite if he maintained his current dominance while also outscoring more players (his production is somewhat mediocre), it can’t be denied that he’s an excellent two-way player as is. This is Doughty’s first All-Star Game.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, no.23, Arizona Coyotes
11G, 8A, 19 PTS, 40 GP, 0.48 P/G, 50.7 CF%
Though he doesn’t rack up points quite as much as teammate Keith Yandle, Ekman-Larsson gets more accolades, award consideration, and All-Star nods thanks to being a better goal scorer and better in defensive situations. This is Ekman-Larsson’s first All-Star Game.
Justin Faulk, no.27, Carolina Hurricanes
7G, 17A, 24 PTS. 41 GP, 0.59 P/G, 52.5 CF%
While Faulk, in his first few seasons, produced modest offensive numbers, Faulk is on pace for just under 50 points. Together with young forwards Elias Lindholm and Jeff Skinner, Faulk is leading Carolina’s youth.
Mark Giordano, no.5, Calgary Flames
10G, 26A, 36 PTS, 42 GP, 0.86 P/G, 47.3 CF%
Giordano is in his second season as captain. While it took until he was named captain, Giordano has emerged as an elite defenceman. At the rate he’s going, he’s on pace to lead all defencemen in scoring. This is Giordano’s first All-Star Game.
Erik Johnson, no.6, Colorado Avalanche
12G, 10A, 22 PTS, 41 GP, 0.54 P/G, 47.0 CF%
The usual narrative with Johnson has been that he’s a bit of a disappointment compared to his first overall status in 2006. I don’t buy that. He nearly got 40 points last season, and is on pace to eclipse 40 this season. He leads all NHL defencemen with 12 goals and though he has a CorsiFor% below 50, he has a 3.9 CF%RelTM, indicating that he’s at least better at possession compared to teammates. This is Johnson’s first All-Star Game.
Duncan Keith, no.2, Chicago Blackhawks
6G, 20A, 26 PTS, 41 GP, 0.63 P/G, 58.0 CF%
Keith is on pace for fewer than the over 6 points he got last year, but he’s still among the better offensive performers this season among defencemen. He won his second Norris Trophy last season. Keith represented Chicago in the 2008 and 2011 All-Star Games.
Brent Seabrook, no.7, Chicago Blackhawks
7G, 15A, 22 PTS, 42 GP, 0.52 P/G, 55.3 CF%
While Keith gets a lot of credit as Chicago’s top offensive blueliner, Seabrook deserves more credit than he gets. Seabrook plays more of a physical, defensive, shooting style compared to Keith’s more mobile, offensive, finesse style. The two compliment each other well, and it is the first time since the 2010 Olympics that the two are playing together outside of a Blackhawks game, assuming the two are put on the same team. This is Seabrook’s first All-Star Game.
Kevin Shattenkirk, no.22, St. Louis Blues
7G, 29A, 36 PTS, 41 GP, 0.88 P/G, 54.2 CF%
While many believe Alex Pietrangelo the better of St. Louis’ two elite defencemen, Shattenkirk, among the top scoring defencemen, is arguably more deserving based on his offensive production. If Pietrangelo was on pace for at least 50 points, then maybe not, but as it stands, Shattenkirk is more of an All-Star this season. This is Shattenkirk’s first All-Star Game.
Ryan Suter, no.20, Minnesota Wild
1G, 21A, 22 PTS, 38 GP, 0.58 P/G, 53.4 CF%
I was sure that Suter was being overplayed. He is currently averaging nearly a half-hour of icetime, but has a strong CorsiFor%. He could perhaps stand to score a few more goals and points, but he has proven to be deserving of his elite label. Suter represented Nashville in the 2012 All-Star Game.
Shea Weber, no.6, Nashville Predators
10G, 19A, 29 PTS, 41 GP, 0.71 P/G, 49.2 CF%
Weber doesn’t have a CorsiFor% over 50, or a positive CF%RelTM, but he does score a lot of goals. I’d argue that he should play a minute or two fewer than he does or make adjustments to his style. Still, he is an excellent player who covers for his bad shot metrics by scoring a lot of goals. He represented Nashville in the 2009, 2011, and 2012 All-Star Games.
Goaltenders
Sergei Bobrovsky, no.72, Columbus Blue Jackets
15-11-2, 0.915 Save %, 1 shutout
While Bobrovsky and the Blue Jackets have struggled this season, Bobrovsky has still managed decent performances, and is still coming off a Vezina Trophy and a season featuring Columbus’ first playoff win. This is Bobrovsky’s first All-Star Game.
Corey Crawford, no.50, Chicago Blackhawks
16-8-2, 0.921 Save %, 1 shutout
Crawford gets a lot of flak for inconsistent play, and even I think there are goaltenders who have a better body of work and more reason to be in the All-Star Game than Crawford, I disagree with the sentiment that Crawford is entirely undeserving. He still has over a 92% save %. This is Crawford’s first All-Star Game.
Jimmy Howard, no.35, Detroit Red Wings
16-7-7, 0.921 Save %, 2 shutouts
Howard is often compared to Chris Osgood, in that he has a reputation as a mediocre goalie boosted by good teams. We know that isn’t the case because we know the relationship between team performance and save percentages. Howard has played in both the All-Star Game and the Olympics. Howard represented Detroit in the 2012 All-Star Game.
Roberto Luongo, no.1, Florida Panthers
16-7-7, 0.926 Save %, 2 shutouts
Back playing on his old team, Luongo is doing an excellent job in net. Currently, Florida, largely on his back, is challenging for a playoff spot. Luongo also has some of the best goalie numbers in the NHL this season, so he could take home a Vezina Trophy if he keeps it up. Luongo represented Florida in the 2004 All-Star Game and Vancouver in the 2007 and 2009 All-Star Games.
Carey Price, no.31, Montreal Canadiens
22-10-1, 0.927 Save %, 2 shutouts
Price has been one of the NHL’s major workhorses. With a star season, Eastern Conference Final appearance, and Sochi Olympic starting job Gold Medal on his resume for 2014, Price is probably Montreal’s most valuable player. Price represented Montreal in the 2009, 2011, and 2012 All-Star Games.
Pekka Rinne, no.35, Nashville Predators
28-6-2, 0.930 Save %, 3 shutouts
After getting Nashville to the 2012 Semifinals, Rinne had a weak 2012/13 season and missed a lot of the 2013/14 season with a hip infection. Rinne, as with the entire Nashville team, has exceeded low expectations and Rinne has been the best goaltender this season. His performance is a major reason that Preds head coach Peter Laviolette is one of the All-Star Game’s coaches. This is Rinne’s first All-Star Game.
Rookies
Jonathan Drouin, no.27, left wing, Tampa Bay Lightning
2G, 15A, 17 PTS, 33 GP, 0.52 P/G, 53.0 CF%
Drouin hasn’t performed at the elite level he was expected to play at this season. I’d argue that it’s fine. He’s among the top ten rookie scorers this season and teammate Steven Stamkos also struggled in his rookie campaign.
Aaron Ekblad, no.5, defenceman, Florida Panthers
5G, 18A, 23 PTS, 39 GP, 0.59 P/G, 54.5 CF%
Ekblad is notable as the only defenceman among these All-Star rookies. He is on pace for just under 50 points, which he could easily exceed with an opportune hot streak. He is averaging just over 22 minutes per game.
Filip Forsberg, no.9, right wing, Nashville Predators
14G, 24A, 38 PTS, 41 GP, 0.93 P/G, 56.3 CF%
After a couple of false starts, Forsberg has managed to stick at the NHL level this season. He is leading all rookies in scoring with 38 points. He is the frontrunner for the Calder Trophy.
Johnny Gaudreau, no.13, left wing, Calgary Flames
13G, 18A, 31 PTS, 41 GP, 0.76 P/G, 46.2 CF%
Gaudreau won the 2014 Hobey Baker Award as the best player in NCAA hockey. After a weak October, Gaudreau has emerged as a top winger for Calgary. He is among Calgary’s points leaders.
Mike Hoffman, no.68, left wing, Ottawa Senators
13G, 7A, 20 PTS, 37 PTS, 0.54 P/G, 51.7 CF%
Hoffman, despite not being a great all-around points producer, is performing well. The dark horse rookie is tied for the league lead in rookie goals with 14. With fewer games, his goals-per-game rate puts him on pace for 29. One hot streak and we’ll get a 30-goal rookie campaign, unprecedented in the modern-era.
Tanner Pearson, no.70, left wing, Los Angeles Kings
12G, 4A, 16 PTS, 0.39 P/G, 41 P/G, 56.0 CF%
Pearson performed at a high level during the playoffs and at the start of the season with veteran Jeff Carter and sophomore winger Tyler Toffoli on That 70’s Line. While he is more of a two-way complementary winger and has run cold since the opening weeks of the season, he is still among the rookie scoring leaders and fully deserving of his place among All-Star rookies.
Surprise Inclusions
I wasn’t really expecting every team to have a representative in the main All-Star Game. More specifically, I wasn’t expecting Erik Johnson, Justin Faulk, or Tyler Johnson to be in the All-Star Game. I wouldn’t have expected either Crawford or Seabrook, or Girgensons for that matter, to be in the All-Star Game were it not for them getting as many votes as they did. I was surprised to see Shattenkirk, but looking at his scoring numbers, it makes sense for him to be there.
Surprise Snubs
I could name an entire roster worth of players I’m surprised to have not seen. While I actually predicted that Radim Vrbata would make the All-Star Game while the Sedins wouldn’t, it is still no less surprising to actually see neither Henrik Sedin nor Daniel Sedin among Vancouver’s contingent. Pavel Datsyuk, who is scoring at a point-per-game rate, is a surprising absence. I predicted Nick Bjugstad to make the roster on the strength of his strong goal scoring output. Max Pacioretty, who came close to 40 goals, and Joe Pavelski, who eclipsed that mark, are on pace for repeat seasons, which makes their absences surprising. Zach Parise isn’t on the list, and I figured he’d be on it. I figured I’d see Chris Kunitz and Patric Hornqvist for Pittsburgh in there. As a highly improved player in terms of offensive output, I thought Ryan Callahan would be there instead of Tyler Johnson. With Ryan Nugent-Hopkins not producing much, and Taylor Hall scoring at a higher level, I figured Hall would be there instead. I understand that Elias’ inclusion is more because of his history, but Jaromir Jagr would be just as, if not more suitable in that respect, not to mention the fact that he’s still producing. As two of the elite point-producing defencemen, Erik Karlsson and PK Subban‘s absences are surprising. I was sure Niklas Kronwall would be among the defencemen on the roster. I also thought Ryan McDonagh, as a team captain after an elite season, and Kris Letang, as a star performer, would show up. Dan Girardi played in the 2012 All-Star Game, as a defensive defenceman rewarded for working hard. As a result, I figured Marc-Edouard Vlasic would be in the All-Star Game in that role as an elite defender. It came as a shock to many that Jonathan Quick, Tuukka Rask, and Henrik Lundqvist aren’t on the roster. This isn’t to say that the players selected aren’t deserving of an All-Star nod, nor to say that these players are more deserving, but it’s still surprising that these players aren’t participating.
Coaches
The All-Star coaches were revealed the day before the All-Star players were. As the coach with the highest point percentage (points earned divided by highest possible point total) when they were named, Nashville’s Peter Laviolette will coach one team. As the coach of the defending Stanley Cup champions, Los Angeles’ Darryl Sutter will coach the other team.
Team Representation
Chicago: 5
Columbus: 3
Los Angeles: 2
Nashville: 2
Philadelphia: 2
Pittsburgh: 2
St. Louis: 2
Tampa Bay: 2
Anaheim: 1
Arizona: 1
Boston: 1
Buffalo: 1
Calgary: 1
Carolina: 1
Colorado: 1
Dallas: 1
Detroit: 1
Edmonton: 1
Florida: 1
Minnesota: 1
Montreal: 1
New Jersey: 1
New York I: 1
New York R: 1
Ottawa: 1
San Jose: 1
Toronto: 1
Vancouver: 1
Washington: 1
Winnipeg: 1
There’s your All-Stars for 2015. Thanks for reading!
