The NHL All Star Game has a new format and last night the league completed their first ever draft to determine teams. The complete results of the draft are below and what makes this draft so unique is the fact players from the East and West Conferences were combined meaning players will be playing against each other.
Seems like a smart move for a league that sits well below the NFL, NBA and MLB in ratings every year. Fans should get a kick out of seeing teammates actually skating against each other in the game.
The puck is scheduled to drop on Sunday January at 4PM.
BTW, for guiding their teams to the Stanley Cup Finals last season, Chicago Blackhawks Joel Quenneville will have the head coach responsibilities for Team Staal and Philadelphia’s Peter Laviolette will coach Team Lidstrom.
Here are the draft results with links to the NHL.com bio of each player.
Team Lidstrom was drafted by captain Nicklas Lidstrom and assistant captains Martin St. Louis and Patrick Kane while Team Staal was drafted by captain Eric Staal and assistants Mike Green and Ryan Kesler.
ROUND 1
1. Cam Ward, G, Team Staal
2. Steven Stamkos, C, Team Lidstrom
ROUND 2
3. Alexander Ovechkin, RW, Team Staal
4. Duncan Keith, D, Team Lidstrom
ROUND 3
5. Daniel Sedin, W, Team Staal
6. Henrik Sedin, C, Team Lidstrom
ROUND 4
7. Zdeno Chara, D, Team Staal
8. Shea Weber, D, Team Lidstrom
ROUND 5
9. Rick Nash, W, Team Staal
10. Tim Thomas, G, Team Lidstrom
ROUND 6
11. Henrik Lundqvist, G, Team Staal
12. Daniel Briere, C/W, Team Lidstrom
ROUND 7
13. Marc Staal, D, Team Staal
14. Dustin Byfuglien, D, Team Lidstrom
ROUND 8
15. Patrick Sharp, LW, Team Staal
16. Jonathan Toews, C, Team Lidstrom
ROUND 9
17. Dan Boyle, D, Team Staal
18. Marc-Andre Fleury, G, Team Lidstrom
ROUND 10
19. Carey Price, G, Team Staal
20. Jonas Hiller, G, Team Lidstrom
ROUND 11
21. Jeff Skinner, C, Team Staal
22. Brad Richards, C, Team Lidstrom
ROUND 12
23. Kris Letang, D, Team Staal
24. Keith Yandle, D, Team Lidstrom
ROUND 13
25. Claude Giroux, RW, Team Staal
26. Brent Burns, D, Team Lidstrom
ROUND 14
27. Erik Karlsson, D, Team Staal
28. Martin Havlat, RW, Team Lidstrom
ROUND 15
29. Corey Perry, RW, Team Staal
30. Anze Kopitar, C, Team Lidstrom
ROUND 16
31. Patrik Elias, LW, Team Staal
32. Matt Duchene, C, Team Lidstrom
ROUND 17
33. David Backes, RW, Team Staal
34. Loui Eriksson, LW, Team Lidstrom
ROUND 18
35. Paul Stastny, C, Team Staal
36. Phil Kessel, RW. Team Lidstrom
ROOKIE ROUND
Team Staal: Logan Cuture, C; Tyler Ennis, LW; Michael Grabner, RW; Jamie McBain, D; Tyler Seguin, C; P.K. Subban, D.
Team Lidstrom: Evgeny Dadonov, RW; Oliver Ekman-Larsson, D; Cam Fowler, D; Taylor Hall, LW; Kevin Shattenkirk, D; Derek Stepan, C.
Used with permission of the author.
Jay Donetelli is a Tampa-based freelance sportswriter and contributor to Sports Climax. With an opinion sharper than an Ovechkin skate blade with the sting of an Ali jab, Donetelli has a loyal cult of readers who have found a way to love him.
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