Let's tallk All-Star rosters!

[lmanchur.]

North American All-Star Roster (http://www.nhl.com/allstar2001/na_roster.html)
World All-Star Roster (http://www.nhl.com/allstar2001/world_roster.html)

So, what do you all think of the NHL's selection for the rest of the players for the All-Star teams?

...interesting goalie selection. The fans were dead wrong selecting Hasek as the starter on the World team, but two rookies -- Nabokov and Chechmanek -- were excellent choices... my friends were laughing at me when I told them that this unknown goalie (Evegeni Nabokov) was the best in the NHL right now, and it turns out I was right after all! :)

...I'm kind of split on the North American goalies, though... I guess i can't argue with Brodeur and Burke being back-ups, but I think Joseph could've got in there... I'm not 100% sure on the stats, but I think he's doing better than voted-in starter Patrick Roy.

Overall, it should be a great game (even though the skills competition is better and more exciting :) )

[Wedge231]

I just wanna see my Rangers getting some ice time at that game.

[lmanchur.]

Originally posted by Wedge231
I just wanna see my Rangers getting some ice time at that game.

...don't worry... they will, they will!

Theo Fleury was voted to the starting line-up and Brian Leetch will also be there... usually in All-Star games, everyone plays equally (or at least that's suspose to be the plan), but someone will ALWAYS steal the show... I guess it's like that in any sport's All-Star game.

Also, anyone notice something similar all the players of the North American All-Stars voted to the starting line-up by the FANS (and that's fans from around all the world) for the "North American" All-Stars???? they are ALL Canadian (Paul Kariya (British Columbia), Joe Sakic (British Columbia), Theo Fleury (Manitoba), Chris Pronger (Ontario), Ray Bourque (Quebec), and Patrick Roy (Quebec).

Also, Canadians outnumber Americans on the "North American All-Stars" 3:1 (15:5). (do you see now why I'm putting "North American All-Stars" in quotes!?)

...this just shows why Don Cherry is ALWAYS right -- "anyone who thinks Canada can't produce talent any more is wrong."

[Wedge231]

Hockey just isn't as big in the United States. Most of the players in the drafts are from other countries. In the United States, children grow up playing baseball, basketball, and football. There is only a handful of hockey fans per 100 people in the United States. Most people on my high school's hockey team will not go on to hockey in college or if they do, will not go on professionally. Meanwhile, in Canada, young players are very dedicated to make the professional level.

[lmanchur.]

...well, I guess I was kind of making the remark that they should just make the All-Star game format "Canada vs. the World" instead of "Canada and the United States vs. the World," but I meant to imply that people up here in Canada are always complaining that Canadian hockey talent sucks nowadays because we're letting European players in the Canadian Hockey League. Obviously they are wrong, as all the players on the starting line-up for the N.A. All-Stars are Canadian.. that is what I was implying.

Sorry for the mix-up.

[Wedge231]

Oh, ok. Us Americans don't seem to have many stars. Weren't we the team who couldn't win a game at the Nagano Oympics? Then the US team trashed the place and are banned from coming back or something.

[lmanchur.]

Originally posted by Wedge231
Oh, ok. Us Americans don't seem to have many stars. Weren't we the team who couldn't win a game at the Nagano Oympics? Then the US team trashed the place and are banned from coming back or something.

You're right about trashing the Olympic Village part... but they will be participating in 2002, I am sure.

However, you are wrong to say the Americans don't have many stars... it may seem like Canadians have more because the NHL still consists of just over 50% Canadian-born players, and the rest is divided up between the States and European countries...

Just think of Mike Richter (did you see him play the last few games!? -- amazing!) and Brina Leetch on the Rangers alone. The American All-Stars are definitely deserving of it -- Amonte, Geurin, Hull, and Weight.

There are more: Modano, LeClair, Tkachuk, Roenick, DiPietro, Chelios, and Hebert.

...no country produces more stars than Canada, and that's just the way it is in hockey... I would say that the States, however, are keeping a good pace with most European countries.

[Wedge231]

Yeah. The Rangers are my favorite team. I saw Leetch and his overtime, game-winning shot the other night.