The votes are in and the NHL All Star game will be packed full of NHL stars in Atlanta at Philips Arena. The game will feature the Young Stars Game, the Super Skills Competition and All-Star Game. Leading the votes this year is Sidney Crosby with 445,144 but he will not make it due to an injury. Online sportsbook SBGglobal.com has the East +1.5 –250 and the West –1.5 +210.
At the midway point of the NHL season, the Detroit Red Wings, led by Norris trophy winner and perennial all-star Nicklas Lidstrom and the ageless wonder Chris Chelios are the team to beat. The Wings look prime for a run at the Cup but the NHL Western Conference is chalk full of contenders. The Northwest division is a virtual landmine as all the teams in the division have a chance to win the division or not make the playoffs.
The Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks, Minnesota Wild, Colorado Avalanche and the Edmonton Oilers will all fight down the stretch. The surprise out of the West this year is the fact that the Phoenix Coyotes, Columbus Bluejacket, Nashville predators and Chicago Blackhawk’s all have a chance to make the playoffs. SBGglobal.com has the TOTAL in the NHL All Star Game set at 16 goals.
In the East, both the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals have raised their game and will look to make a playoff push. Both teams are full of the NHL’s youngest and brightest stars like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal, Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Semin. If these young teams can gel together and make the playoffs they will be formidable opponents.
The Ottawa Senators look to be the cream of the crop in the East but the Philadelphia Flyers led by their free agent signings Danny Briere and Scott Hartnell will challenge the Senators till the end. Both of the starting goalies voted in by the fans will not be attending. Roberto Luango from the Vancouver Canucks will skip the All Star game to be with his pregnant wife in Florida while Vezina Trophy winner Martin Brodeur is skipping the game due to a prior commitment.
The top vote getter in the East was Sidney Crosby of Pittsburgh with 445,144 votes and the top vote getter in the West was Nicklas Lidstrom of Detroit with 420,436 votes.
