Anaheim Ducks
Cam Fowler (Defenceman-4)
The veteran defenceman remains a consistent big-minute man for the Ducks. He has scored at least 30 points in four of his last five seasons. He is on pace to finish with 36 points (11G, 25A) in 69 points and has posted a 41.27 ESCorsi% this season.
Past All-Star Games: Anaheim-2017
Andrew Cogliano (Left Wing-7)
The veteran winger and former ironman is having a lower-scoring season than he’s accustomed to, but he has long been a reliable two-way forward for a long time now. Like Fowler, he has at least 30 points in four of his last five seasons. He is on pace to finish this season with 18 points (5G, 18A) in 82 games and is posting a 44.76 ESCorsi%.
Corey Perry (Right Winger-10)
The veteran winger is coming off a pair of weak years in which he fell from 34 goals and 62 points to 19 goals and 53 points and then 17 goals and 49 points. He is out with a knee injury and has yet to play this season. He was a six-time 30-goal scorer prior to this season and a former Hart winner.
Adam Henrique (Centre-14)
2012’s second Calder runner-up still has yet to top his 51-point rookie performance, but was New Jersey’s top line centre before the 2017 Draft and is coming off his third 50-point season. Henrique is on pace for 43 points (15G, 28A) in 82 games and has posted a 45.01 ESCorsi%.
Ryan Getzlaf (Centre-15)
At 33, Getzlaf remains one of the top centres in the NHL. He scored 73 points two seasons ago, and finished last season with 61 points in 56 games. He is on pace for 70 points (23G, 47A) in 76 games and is posting a 49.93 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: Anaheim-2008, 2009, 2015
Ryan Kesler (Centre-17)
Though Kesler is having a pretty bad season this year, and had a bad season last year as well, Kesler is two seasons removed from back-to-back with 53- and 58-point seasons. He is on pace this season for 16 points (11G, 5A) in 79 games and is posting a 43.8 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Game: Vancouver-2011; Anaheim-2017
Patrick Eaves (Right Wing-18)
Eaves has yet to score his first point since returning from missing almost all of last season with a nervous system disorder. Before that, he 32 goals and 51 points, which is very good despite it being such an outlier. He is currently out with fractured ribs and has been limited to five games. He is on pace for zero points (0G, 0A) in 55 games and has posted a 44.04 ESCorsi%.
Ondrej Kase (Right Wing-25)
After jumping from five goals and 15 points to 20 goals and 38 points, Kase has evolved into a fairly important role with the Ducks. He is scoring at a quicker rate and is averaging more TOI. He is on pace for 50 points (23G, 27A) in 64 games and has posted a 55.46 ESCorsi%.
Ryan Miller (Goaltender-30)
Miller has a place on this ballot based on his long tenure as one of the NHL’s top starting goaltenders. He transitioned into a backup last season and posted a 0.928 Save%. He is on pace to finish with a 0.922 Save%, 10-5-3 record, and zero shutouts in 26 games.
Past All-Star Games: Buffalo-2007
Jakob Silfverberg (Right Wing-33)
The playoff performer has finally seen his skill translate into regular season scoring success, with back-to-back seasons of at least 40 points, especially his 49 points in 2017. He is on pace for 40 points (23G, 17A) in 77 games and has posted a 41.36 ESCorsi%.
John Gibson (Goaltender-36)
Gibson has steadily grown into a top young goaltender in the NHL. Last season, only two removed from his last season to include an AHL appearance, he had his first season with 30 wins, winning 31, and 60 games played. This season, he has continued to perform well despite the Ducks being too bad for him to carry, and is on pace for a 31-23-10 record, 0.925 Save%, and three shutouts in 67 games.
Past All-Star Games: Anaheim-2016
Nick Ritchie (Left Wing-37)
Ritchie has been a little slow to turn into the top power forward he was drafted to be, but he is showing signs of development. He is on pace for 40 points (16G, 24A) in 67 games and has posted a 48.33 ESCorsi%.
Josh Manson (Defenceman-42)
While he is falling short this year offensively, he scored 37 points last season, adding decent offensive game to his defensive ability. He is also averaging three minutes more per game than last season. He is on pace this season for 19 points (8G, 11A) in 78 games and has posted a 42.41 ESCorsi%.
Hampus Lindholm (Defenceman-47)
Last season saw the big Swede, Anaheim’s current TOI leader, return to the 30-point mark for the first time in two seasons. This season sees him on pace to reach 41 points (9G, 32A) in 76 games, and he has posted a 46.46 ESCorsi%.
Rickard Rakell (Left Wing-67)
Rakell has had a slow, but still decent, start to the year, but he has become one of the Ducks’ top scorers. He is coming off two 30-plus goal seasons. This season, he is on pace for 53 points (13G, 40A) in 80 games and has posted a 48.2 ESCorsi%.
Brandon Montour (Defenceman-71)
The Ducks chose to hold onto Montour in the expansion draft rather than Shea Theodore. It was a good choice, given he played his first full season and topped 30 points, on pace to reach 38 points (10G, 28A) in 82 games while posting a 46.75 ESCorsi%.
Arizona Coyotes
Niklas Hjalmarsson (Defenceman-4)
While never a great offensive defenceman, Hjalmarsson was a solid 20-point man in his prime as a Blackhawks Cup winner. The veteran remains on the expanded ballot due to his career with Chicago. He is on pace this season for nine points (0G, 9A) in 82 games and is posting a 49.38 ESCorsi%.
Jakob Chychrun (Defenceman-6)
Chychrun has missed a lot of time in his young career with injuries, being limited to 68 and 50 games in his first two seasons. That seems to be behind him after missing the first 16 games, plus another two after his season debut, and he has averaged over 20 minutes of TOI. He is on pace for 19 points (6G, 13A) in 64 games and has posted a 47.08 ESCorsi%.
Nick Schmaltz (Right Wing-8)
After breaking out with 52 points as a sophomore, it seemed Schmaltz was one of the young forwards Chicago would build around in the future. Arizona’s lack of depth or high-end centre talent mean Schmaltz is now the no. 1. He is currently on pace for 48 points (14G, 34A) in 83 games and has posted a 49.02 ESCorsi%.
Clayton Keller (Right Wing-9)
While he slowed down after being an early Calder frontrunner, Keller still finished last season with 65 points and remains one of Arizona’s top forwards. He is on pace for 58 points (23G, 35A) in 82 games and has posted a 48.49 ESCorsi%.
Richard Panik (Left Wing-14)
Panik has been slow to get going this year, but is on the expanded ballot thanks to a strong tenure with Chicago, which included 44 points in 2017. He is on pace for 28 points (19G, 9A) in 79 games and is posting a 49.22 ESCorsi%.
Alex Galchenyuk (Centre-17)
Though off to a bit of a slow start this year, Galchenyuk is coming off his career-second-best of 51 points, and is only a few years removed from a 30-goal, 56-point campaign. He is on pace for 40 points (11G, 29A) in 75 games and has posted a 44.95 ESCorsi%.
Christian Dvorak (Centre-18)
While Schmaltz is now the de facto no.1 guy in Arizona, last year that was Dvorak a lot of the time. Dvorak scored 37 points as a sophomore. He has yet to make his season debut due to pectoral surgery.
Derek Stepan (Centre-21)
Stepan has been a consistently solid, but unspectacular, forward in his career. He finished each of the last five seasons with at least 53 points. His 56 points last season were one short of his career-high with the Rangers in 2014. He is on pace for 39 points (18G, 21A) in 82 games and is posting a 50.84 ESCorsi%.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson (Defenceman-23)
Last season saw the Swedish defenceman, currently in his first year as team captain, rebound from 39 to 42 points. While it’s still not a rebound to his 55 points from 2016, it’s a step in the right direction, and he’s getting closer this year. He is on pace for 44 points (6G, 38A) in 82 games and is posting a 51.27 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: Arizona-2015, 2018
Antti Raanta (Goaltender-32)
Arizona’s poor performance last season overshadowed Raanta breaking out as a high-quality starter. He posted a 0.930 Save% in 47 games last season. He has had a strong season so far, though some poor performances in the games immediately preceding his current lower-body injury have tanked his save percentage. Likely to miss the remainder of the year that injury, he is on pace for a 15-18-0 record, 0.906 Save%, and zero shutouts in 35 games.
Darcy Kuemper (Goaltender-35)
Settling into more of a backup role, Kuemper won’t appear in any All-Star Games any time soon. However, he appeared on the 2015 ballot before a post-All-Star collapse and is currently showing a better save percentage than Raanta in a similar number of games while also sitting on IR. He is on pace for a 12-15-6 record, 0.914 Save%, and zero shutouts in 32 games.
Michael Grabner (Left Wing-40)
Moving to a lower-quality team than the respectable 2017 Rangers or the surprising 2018 Devils can definitely hurt the numbers of some players, as it is with back-to-back 27-goal guy Grabner, but he’s definitely fit in with the Coyotes, scoring surprisingly many shorthanded goals. The speedy vet is currently on the shelf with an eye injury. With no timetable for his return, he is on pace for 35 points (19G, 16A) in 79 games and is posting a 50.4 ESCorsi%.
Jason Demers (Left Wing-55)
Demers has remained a solid puck-mover in recent years, getting at least 20 points every full season since the lockout. His offence has dried up so far this year, but he got 34 points back in 2014. He is on pace for 12 points (4G, 8A) in 72 games and has posted a 50.08 ESCorsi%.
Calgary Flames
Mark Giordano (Defenceman-5)
While Giordano has remained just as strong defensively as ever, two seasons of falling just short of 40 points after scoring 56 points in 2016 have caused him get overlooked. He has rebounded majorly this season, and is on pace for 80 points (8G, 72A) in 80 games and is posting a 56.54 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: Calgary-2015, 2016
TJ Brodie (Defenceman-7)
While he’s not scoring at the 45-point rate he scored in 2016, he has scored at a roughly 35-point pace. He is on pace this season for 32 points (8G, 24A) in 82 games and is posting a 54.56 ESCorsi%.
Mikael Backlund (Defenceman-11)
Another solid two-way forward who doesn’t score at an elite level, Backlund is two seasons removed from finishing with 53 points and is so far on pace for 47 points (14G, 33A) in 80 games and is posting a 57.05 ESCorsi%.
Johnny Gaudreau (Left Wing-13)
After scoring a career-high 84 points last season, Gaudreau is so far shooting to shatter that career-high. If he keeps it up, he could return to the 30-goal mark and crack 100 points. He is on pace this season for 103 points (32G, 71A) in 82 games and is posting a 55.07 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: Calgary-2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
James Neal (Right Wing-18)
Calgary’s big offseason signing has backfired horribly so far this year. Neal is on the expanded ballot based on his major roles played in Stanley Cup Final appearances for the Nashville and Vegas and his 31 goals in 2016. He is on pace for 16 points (8G, 8A) in 82 games and has posted a 51.66 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: Pittsburgh-2012; Nashville-2016; Vegas-2018
Matthew Tkachuk (Left Wing-19)
After scoring just short of 50 points in his rookie and sophomore seasons, the power forward is scoring well over a point per game. He is on pace for 87 points (34G, 53A) in 82 games and is posting a 56.3 ESCorsi%.
Sean Monahan (Centre-23)
Monahan is coming off a rebound season back to 31 goals and a career-high 64 points. This season, after years of hovering around 30 and 60, he is on pace for 93 points (48G, 45A) in 82 games and posting 54.64 ESCorsi%.
Travis Hamonic (Defenceman-24)
The veteran defenceman is far off from his 33-point season, but he is rebounding from his career-low 11 points last season. Offensively, he is on pace for 25 points (6G, 19A) in 74 games and is posting a 56.91 ESCorsi%.
Elias Lindholm (Right Wing-28)
With career-highs of 16 goals last season and 45 points the year before, Lindholm was definitley seen as a good addition to the Flames because of adding depth. On pace for 90 points (42G, 48A) in 82 games and posting a 57.3 ESCorsi%, Lindholm has shattered expectations.
David Rittich (Goaltender-33)
After a forgettable performance in 14 games last season, Rittich has taken over the starter’s job. With Mike Smith struggling, he is on pace for a 0.922 Save%, 21-8-3 record, and three shutouts in 40 games.
Mike Smith (Goaltender-41)
Smith is one of the goalies who will get on this expanded ballot despite a poor performance so far this season. The veteran netminder was in the 0.910s in terms of save percentage the last three seasons. His body of work gets him here even if his age is catching up to him. He is on pace this season for a 0.894 Save%, 29-19-3 record, and five shutouts in 50 games.
Past All-Star Games: Arizona-2017; Calgary-2018
Noah Hanifin (Defenceman-55)
Though Hanifin isn’t quite at the level of Dougie Hamiton, whom Calgary gave up in part to get him, he is on pace for close to 37 points (8G, 29A) in 82 games and is posting a 54.83 ESCorsi% , which is solid.
Michael Frolik (Right Wing-67)
Frolik is on injured reserve with a lower-body injury and had a down year last season, but Frolik is on this list on the strength of his consistent 20-goal finishes with Florida and his strong two-way play with Winnipeg and Calgary prior to last season. He is on pace for 25 points (25G, 0A) in 71 games and has posted a 56.1 ESCorsi%.
Edmonton Oilers
Andrej Sekera (Defenceman-2)
Sekera has yet to make his season debut due to an Achilles injury, and missed most of last season due to a knee injury. Prior to that, Sekera was a big-minute defenceman for Edmonton, a veteran leader, and regular 30-plus point man.
Adam Larsson (Defenceman-6)
Being the only player acquired for now-defending-MVP Taylor Hall hasn’t helped Larsson’s case since he joined the Oilers, but he is averaging the most NHL TOI of his career and is on pace for his first 20-point season since 2015, 22 point (0G, 22A) in 82 games and a 52.5 ESCorsi%.
Mikko Koskinen (Goaltender-19)
The 30-year old had a flier taken on him this past offseason after having not played in North America since 2011 and not in the NHL since 2010. He has rewarded the Oilers’ faith with a strong performance so far. He is on pace this season for a 0.929 Save%, 25-8-3 record, and eight shutouts in 38 games.
Tobias Rieder (Left Wing-22)
Yet to score a goal this season, Rieder continues to make it on the expanded ballot based on the strength of his almost-40-point seasons during his stint with the Coyotes, back when he was one of ther better players by default. He is on pace this season for 27 points (0G, 27A) in 70 games and is posting a 46.2 ESCorsi%.
Ryan Spooner (Centre-23)
Spooner isn’t having a great year this season, on pace for nine points (6G, 3A) in 79 games and posting 45.31 ESCorsI%, but he is on the expanded ballot because of seasons past. He finished last season with 41 points and had 49 points two seasons ago.
Darnell Nurse (Defenceman-25)
Nurse is on this expanded ballot based on last season, when he posted 26 points and a 51.01 ESCorsi%. Nurse is still in his second straight season averaging over 20 minutes per night. He is on pace for 24 points (8G, 16A) in 82 games and is posting a 48.25 ESCorsi%.
Milan Lucic (Left Wing-27)
I’m not about to excuse Lucic’s poor performance this season a pace for 17 points (3G, 14A) in 82 games and a 52.52 RSCorsi%. He did score 50 points two seasons ago, 55 points the year before that, and 59 points two years before that, however. His body of work with Boston, which includes two early-decade 60-plus point seasons and a 30-goal campaign, gets him here.
Leon Draisaitl (Centre-29)
Draisaitl fell last season from 77 points to just 70, but that’s a small decline. This season, he’s on pace for 93 points (41G, 52A) in 82 games and is posting a 50.27 ESCorsi%.
Cam Talbot (Goaltender-33)
It seems for now Talbot has lost the starter’s job to Koskinen. Talbot remains here thanks to his 2017 season, when he posted a 0.919 Save% in 73 games and led the Oilers into the second round of the playoffs, their first appearance since 2006. He is on pace this season for a 0.895 Save%, 19-25-3 record, and zero shutouts.
Alex Chiasson (Right Wing-39)
Chiasson’s career has been revived by his stint with the Capitals. After winning the Stanley Cup with them, this season has seen him on pace for 48 points (38G, 10A) in 76 games and posting a 46.43 ESCorsi%.
Oscar Klefbom (Defenceman-77)
Two seasons ago, Klefbom scored 38 points, an impressive breakout for someone seen as a shut-down type. Now he has evolved into a major role averaging over 25 minutes per night and on pace for over 41 points (8G, 33A) in 82 games and posting a 52.63 ESCorsi%.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Centre-93)
Seen as a 45-55 point scorer for his career to date and unable to reach 50 points since 2015, last season’s 48 points masked the fact that he played only 61 games. He is now on pace for 71 points (22G, 49A) in 82 games, posting a 49.03 ESCorsi%, and is scoring more like a former first-overall pick should.
Past All-Star Games: Edmonton-2015
Connor McDavid (Centre-97)
McDavid, unlike some players, isn’t on pace for an offensive improvement over last season. Of course, McDavid is on pace for 115 points (45G, 70A) in 81 games and posting a 53.46 ESCorsi%, a similar season to the over 40 goals and 100 points that won him the Art Ross Trophy last year and should have gotten him into the Hart conversation. It’s entirely possible he would be doing even better than last season if he wasn’t playing for these Oilers.
Past All-Star Games: Edmonton-2017, 2018
Los Angeles Kings
Dion Phaneuf (Defenceman-2)
Phaneuf’s best days are clearly behind him, coming off a 26-point season and only on pace for three points (0G, 3A) in 82 games and posting a 47.56 ESCorsi% this season, but he is two years removed from his last 30-point season. He’d probably be doing better on different team.
Past All-Star Games: Calgary-2007, 2008, Toronto-2012
Jake Muzzin (Defenceman-6)
After bouncing back and enjoying a career-high 42 points, Muzzin has fallen back down offensively. Though he is on pace to tie his lowest full-season total, 24 points (3G, 21A) in 82 games and posting a 51.53 ESCorsi%, he is top blueliner for Los Angeles, with three 40-plus point seasons.
Drew Doughty (Defenceman-8)
Coming off a career-high 60 points and only three years removed from winning the Norris Trophy, Norris is back to his usual production. The blueliner’s usual production, however, is solidly in the 45-point range. In fact, he’s on pace for 45 points (5G, 40A) in 82 games and is posting a 50.42 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: Los Angeles-2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
Anze Kopitar (Centre-11)
As Los Angeles’ no.1 centre, Kopitar is guaranteed to be on an All-Star ballot. As one of the league’s top two-way centres and the defending Selke Trophy winner, he is an All-Star calibre player even at times such as these when his offence dries up. Kopitar is coming off career-highs of 35 goals and 92 points. He is on pace for 52 points (22G, 30A) in 81 games and is posting a 48.2 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: Los Angeles-2008, 2011, 2015, 2018
Ilya Kovalchuk (Left Wing-17)
As expected, Kovalchuk hasn’t come back and produced as a 35-year-old the way he did as a 30-year-old. He is currently on injured reserve with an ankle injury, but was having a respectable start to the season before the Kings’ coaching change was accompanied by a drop in TOI. He is on this ballot based on his pre-retirement body of work. He is on pace this season for 43 points (15G, 28A) in 77 games and is posting a 46.72 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: Atlanta-2004, 2008, 2009
Dustin Brown (Left Wing-23)
Brown finished last season with a career-high 61 points thanks to the uptempo style of head coach John Stevens. Who would have thought that, of all players, Brown, who hadn’t gotten 40 or 50 points in a year since 2012, would keep it up despite the Kings’ decline? He is on pace for 54 points (27G, 27A) in 72 games and is posting a 46.66 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: Los Angeles-2009
Alec Martinez (Defenceman-27)
The solid defenceman was the scorer of the 2014 Cup-winning goal. He is two years removed from a 39-point campaign and is in the midst of bouncing back from a 25-point year. He is on pace for 30 points (8G, 20A) in 81 games and is posting a 49.22 ESCorsi%.
Jonathan Quick (Goaltender-32)
Even though he’s had a weak start to the year so far, Quick is an elite netminder. He had a return to form last season with a 0.921 Save%. He is on pace for a 0.890 Save%, 5-19-3 record, and three shutouts in 26 games.
Past All-Star Games: Los Angeles-2012, 2016
Carl Hagelin (Left Wing-62)
Coming off a 31-point season and on pace for much less, 17 points (3G, 14A) in 73 games and posting a 52.79 ESCorsI%, Hagelin has never been a big producer. His presence here is based on the strength of his play with the HBK line in Pittsburgh, his previous stop, where he finished the 2016 season with 39 points.
Tyler Toffoli (Right Wing-73)
Toffoli’s scoring has fluctuated beneath the 50-point mark for the past few seasons. Back in 2016, he was on That 70s Line and finished with 31 goals and 58 points. He is on pace now for 34 points (13G, 21A) in 82 games and is posting a 54.19 ESCorsi%.
Jeff Carter (Centre-77)
Carter is another player that’s struggled this season, but last season he scored 22 points in 27 games after missing the first 55 with an injury. The year before he scored 66 points and returned to 30 goals for the first time since 2011. He is on pace for 40 points (16G, 24A) in 82 games and is posting a 49.06 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: Philadelphia-2009; Los Angeles-2017
San Jose Sharks
Joe Pavelski (Centre-8)
In 2017, Pavelski dropped below the 30-goal and 70-point marks, and he hasn’t been back since. The captain is having a similar year this season, though has seen a major uptick in his goal-scoring so far, on pace for 69 points (51G, 18A) in 82 games and is posting a 55.36 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: San Jose-2016, 2017
Evander Kane (Left Wing-9)
Last season, which saw Kane traded to the Sharks by Buffalo, Kane finished with 29 goals and 54 points, his most since he had 30 and 57 back in 2012. He is on the official ballot and on pace for 46 points (23G, 23A) in 82 games and is posting a 56.3 ESCorsi%.
Joe Thornton (Centre-19)
Purely in terms of his productivity rate, last season was better for Thornton than the year before. He had 36 points in 47 games as opposed to 50 in 79 the year before. In any case, the veteran playmaking star’s age has caught up with him and he’s on pace for his worst season since his rookie year, 38 points (13G, 25A) in 73 games while posting a 59.19 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: Boston-2002, 2003, 2004; San Jose-2007, 2008, 2009
Joonas Donskoi (Right Wing-27)
The solid right winger is coming off 32 points in 66 games, a 39-point pace. He has seen a minor drop in his TOI this season and that could explain a drop in production this season. He is on pace for 36 points (13G, 23A) in 82 games and is posting a 54.19 ESCorsi%.
Timo Meier (Right Wing-28)
After finishing his first full season with 36 points, Meier is breaking out. He is scoring at a pace for 82 points (44G, 38A) in 79 games and posting a 53.62 ESCorsi%.
Martin Jones (Goaltender-31)
The veteran netminder is having a weak year so far, a pace for a 0.900 Save%, 31-18-8 record, and zero shutouts in 56 games, but he bounced back to a 0.915 Save% last season. Of course, his All-Star case is his largely built on his 2016 Cup Final season.
Past All-Star Games: San Jose-2017
Logan Couture (Centre-39)
Last season was a good one for Couture. He not only returned to 60 points for the first time since 2015, scoring 61, but he also returned to 30 goals for the first time since 2012, scoring 34. His goal-scoring hasn’t come as quickly this year, but he’s on pace to crack 70 points for the first time his his career, specifically 77 points (26G, 51A) in 82 games and posting a 51.44 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: San Jose-2012
Marc-Edouard Vlasic (Defenceman-44)
Offensive production always strengthens a player’s All-Star case. While this means that his 32-point year last season or his 39 points in 2016 were probably better opportunities than this year, Vlasic remains considered an All-Star calibre defenceman based on his defence alone. He is on pace for 18 points (3G, 15A) in 82 games and is posting a 49.28 ESCorsi%.
Tomas Hertl (Left Wing-48)
Still yet to reach 50 points in a season, Hertl is finally beginning to produce the way people expected him to after his red-hot start to the 2013/14 season. No flashy four-goal efforts complete with highlight-reel breakaways, but he’s scoring at a faster rate, on pace for 66 points (26G, 40A) in 77 games while posting a 54.02 ESCorsi%.
Justin Braun (Defenceman-61)
Braun’s offensive production has fallen back to where it was two seasons ago. He is on the expanded ballot based on his 33-point performance last season. He is on pace for 16 points (3G, 13A) in 82 games and posting a 48.76 ESCorsi%.
Kevin Labanc (Right Wing-62)
Labanc’s rise has been fast. He went from scoring 20 points as a rookie to 40 points last season, and is on pace this season for 52 points (8G, 44A) in 82 games and is posting a 58.66 ESCorsi%.
Erik Karlsson (Defenceman-65)
Karlsson isn’t having the season many expected him to, and is only on pace for 51 points (5G, 46A) in 82 games and is posting a 59.22 ESCorsi%. That would be his fewest points in a full season since 2011. That being said, last season was the first time since 2011 he had fewer than 70 points, he still broke 60, and his current season would get many defencemen into the All-Star Game anyway.
Past All-Star Games: Ottawa-2011, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018
Brent Burns (Defenceman-88)
Back in 2016 and 2017, Burns challenged to be first defenceman to score 30 goals in a season since Mike Green did so in 2009. While his goal scoring has dropped since then, he hasn’t had fewer than 60 points in any of his last four seasons, and is scoring at a pace for 77 points (10G, 67A) in 82 games and is posting a 56.3 ESCorsi%.
All-Star Games: Minnesota-2011; San Jose-2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
Vancouver Canucks
Michael Del Zotto (Defenceman-4)
Del Zotto has had a low-scoring season so far, on pace for 13 points (3G, 10A) in 72 games and posting a 51.69 ESCorsi%and it’s been a while since he scored 41 points for the Rangers. It’s even been a while since he scored 32 for Philadelphia. He is coming off a somewhat resurgent 22 points.
Brock Boeser (Right Wing-6)
Though he’s had a sophomore slump this year, Boeser is still on pace for 62 points (33G, 29A) in 69 games and is posting a 47.74 ESCorsi%. Last season, a sure-fire Calder campaign and challenge for 40 goals and 70 points was derailed by a back injury.
Past All-Star Games: Vancouver-2018
Christopher Tanev (Defenceman-8)
Tanev hasn’t played 70 games or scored 20 points since 2015. Despite his numbers being hurt by injury, he remains a decent defensive defenceman when he’s healthy. If a team is perceived as needing defensive help, you can bet Tanev will show up in the conversation. He is on pace for nine points (0G, 9A) in 77 games and is posting a 41.86 ESCorsi%.
Jake Virtanen (Right Wing-18)
The big forward has started to break out offensively. He finished with 20 points after finally getting back into the lineup, and is now on pace for 36 points (23G, 13A) in 82 games and is posting a 47.88 ESCorsi%.
Brandon Sutter (Centre-20)
Sutter’s place on this expanded ballot is based on the earlier part of his career. While his TOI and offensive production have begun to drop as Vancouver has added on younger forwards with more offensive upside. There was a time when he was a reliable 30-40 point two-way forward. Out with a shoulder injury, Sutter is on pace for 20 points (15, 5A) in 63 games and is posting a 40.54 ESCorsi%. His 15-goal pace is right in line with his typical production.
Alexander Edler (Defenceman-23)
Edler is still far off from his 49-point season in 2012, but he has seen a resurgence. He finished with 34 points last season, his most since 2012 and first 30-point year since 2015, and is on pace for 32 points (8G, 24A) in 67 games and is posting a 41.84 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: Vancouver-2012
Jacob Markstrom (Goaltender-25)
This season hasn’t been kind to Markstrom, similar to many Canucks, but last season Markstrom seemed to break out as a starting goaltender. He posted a 0.912 Save% in 60 games. He is on pace this year for a 0.899 Save%, 26-23-8 record, and zero shutouts in 56 games.
Ben Hutton (Defenceman-27)
Aside from scoring 25 points as a rookie in 2016, Hutton hasn’t done much of note since then. After looking to be done after notching zero goals and six assists in 61 games last season, Hutton has rebounded and is on pace for 30 points (11G, 19A) in 80 games and is posting a 45.05 ESCorsi%.
Sven Baertschi (Left Winger-47)
Baertschi has rescued his career as a Canuck. He’s not the star he showed flashes of back in 2012, but he’s done well. Injuries last season cut short a possible 45-point season, and he’s scored at a roughly 49-point 82-game pace this season, hampered again by injuries. He is on pace for 36 points (18G, 18A) in 60 games and is posting a 43.13 ESCorsi%.
Troy Stecher (Defenceman-51)
Stecher’s debut back in 2016/17 was highly anticipated. He did well with a 24-point season, and while he had a bad sophomore year, he’s bounced back and could finish with a similar result this year. He is on pace this season for 24 points (3G, 21A) in 81 games and is posting a 50.57 ESCorsi%.
Bo Horvat (Centre-53)
Even though he isn’t expected to be the flashy high-scoring forward some of Vancouver’s other young guys are, that hasn’t stopped Horvat from being a major offensive threat. He is coming off two straight seasons of a 50-or-more-point pace, and is on pace for 72 points (36G, 36A) in 82 games while posting a 47.04 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: Vancouver-2017
Nikolay Goldobin (Left Wing-77)
Goldobin has had so much opportunity this season than he ever got with San Jose or even last year with Vancouver. He has already beaten his scoring from last year, scoring his 15th point in his 24th game after having scored 14 in 38 games last season. He is on pace for 47 points (13G, 24A) in 81 games and is posting a 50.99 ESCorsi%.
Vegas Golden Knights
Brayden McNabb (Defenceman-3)
Though he’s not a very offensively-gifted defenceman, having finished last season with 15 points, on pace to have even less this year, and having not reached 20 points since 2015, his main strength is his defence. He is on pace for 10 points (0G, 10A) in 82 games and is posting a 52.21 ESCorsi%.
Deryk Engelland (Defenceman-5)
Picked in the expansion draft in part because he lives in Las Vegas, nobody could have expected Engelland to have the season he had last year, scoring 23 points. His production and TOI have dropped, but his Corsi% has remained solid. He is on pace for 15 points (3G, 12A) in 76 games and is posting a 52.81 ESCorsi%.
Colin Miller (Defenceman-6)
The skilled blueliner has seen a noticeable jump in his TOI as he shoots for his second straight, and second career, 30-point season. He led all Golden Knights blueliners last season with 41 points. He is on pace for 36 points (5G, 31A) in 82 games and is posting a 54.3 ESCorsi%.
Reilly Smith (Right Wing-18)
Smith has a pattern of up-years and down-years. After an up-year of 50 points, he had a down-year of 37, which is why Florida traded him, only for him to reach a career-high 60 points. He is in a down-year, but is still on pace for 53 points (15G, 38A) in 82 games and is posting a 54.28 ESCorsi%.
Cody Eakin (Centre-20)
The two-way forward’s career-high in points is 40, and he was exposed in the expansion draft after a 12-point season. He sort of bounced back a bit with 27 points last season, but he’s busting out and is on pace for 52 points (30G, 22A) in 79 games and is posting a 48.09 ESCorsi%.
Paul Stastny (Centre-26)
Stastny has missed all but three games this season due to a lower-body injury, on pace for zero points (0G, 0A) in 53 games and posting a 60.24 ESCorsi%. His place on this All-Star ballot, in terms of recent play, is based on his 60-point year in 2014, his scoring between a 50-point and 60-point pace in his seasons with St. Louis, and his 53 point season, especially his strong performance with Winnipeg’s elite young wingers late last season.
Past All-Star Games: Colorado-2011
Shea Theodore (Defenceman-27)
Traded to Vegas by Anaheim so the Golden Knights would take Clayton Stoner in the expansion draft, Theodore has worked out well for Vegas. He had 29 points in 61 games once he finally got into the lineup, and is on pace for 46 points (10G, 36A) in 82 games and is posting a 57.53 ESCorsi%.
Marc-Andre Fleury (Goaltender-29)
Claimed in the expansion draft and expected to be Vegas’ signature star, Fleury didn’t disappoint. He posted a career-high 0.927 Save%, though in only 46 games, fewer than he typically plays, and backstopped Vegas to the Stanley Cup Final. While the team is having a sophomore slump, Fleury is on pace to finish with a 0.908 Save%, 44-26-3 record, and 13 shutouts in 72 games.
Past All-Star Games: Pittsburgh-2011, 2015; Vegas-2018
Erik Haula (Centre-55)
Haula isn’t having quite the year he had last season, suffering injuries and seeing his offensive production fall back to earth. However, he is much closer to last season than he is to his pre-expansion career in terms of his quality of play. He scored 29 goals and 55 points last season. Currently out with a lower-body injury, Haula is on pace for 31 points (9G, 22A) in 65 games and has posted a 61.79 ESCorsi%.
Max Pacioretty (Left Wing-67)
With only 17 goals and 37 points last season, it was the first time Pacioretty had finished a full season with fewer than 30 goals and 60 points (or 20 goals and 40 points for that matter) since he became a full-time NHLer in 2011. The result was his blockbuster trade to Vegas in the summer. Though he had a slow start to the year and is still a little lacking in points, Pacioretty is so far on pace 52 points (29G, 23A) in 77 games and is posting 50.8 ESCorsi%.
William Karlsson (Centre-71)
I think Karlsson’s performance this season was reasonable thing to expect. He scored 43 goals and 78 points, so clearly he has some scoring talent, but it was also the first time he’d gotten more than 10 goals and 30 points in a season, so a full repeat would be a bit much to expect. He is on pace for 59 points (26G, 33A) in 82 games and is posting a 53.54 ESCorsi%.
Jonathan Marchessault (Left Wing-81)
Marchessault was the third ingredient in an excellent line with William Karlsson and Reilly Smith. Considering he followed up a 30-goal season in his last year with Florida with 75 points in his first year with Vegas, it makes no sense Florida traded Smith so they’d take Marchessault. His point production this season is more in line with his 2017 season, on pace for 59 points (28G, 31A) in 82 games while posting a 54.82 ESCorsi%.
Nate Schmidt (Defenceman-88)
Schmidt came back in late-mid-November from a PED suspension. For now, I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt that he can continue his strong play from last season. He finished with 36 points and is on pace this year for 26 points (10G, 16A) in 62 games and is posting a 53.73 ESCorsi%.
Alex Tuch (Right Wing-89)
Along with Reilly Smith and Shea Theodore, Tuch was a player traded by the team he was playing for so Vegas would take someone else in the expansion draft. While he finished his rookie season with 37 points for Vegas, he is shooting to finish the year with 68 points (31G, 37A) in 74 games and is posting a 51.61 ESCorsi%.
