NHL Capsules: Plenty of NHL stars in Ottawa
OTTAWA (AP) — Three first overall NHL draft picks. The Sedin twins, Daniel and Henrik. And don't forget Pavel Datsyuk, the consistent Detroit Red Wings forward. Datsyuk is so admired by his colleagues that many regard him as one of the game's best all-around players.
Add it up and there just might be enough bona fide talent attending the NHL's All-Star festivities in Ottawa to overcome the absence of Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, and capture the imaginations of the young, old and even most casual fans searching for a distraction on a light sports weekend.
"All I know is that we're missing some really good hockey players, but there's a lot of good hockey players in this league," Boston Bruins coach Claude Julien said Friday.
"Even when there's a few missing, there's always a bunch of them that can step in and do just as well. As far as who's going to emerge as a star player ... I'm not very good when it comes to guessing, so I'm certainly not going to throw out a name."
There's plenty to choose from as Team Daniel Alfredsson takes on Team Zdeno Chara in the skills competition Saturday and All-Star game Sunday.
With concerns hovering over the status of the NHL's elite — concussions have slowed Crosby; Ovechkin's slumping in Washington; so is goalie Ryan Miller in Buffalo.
And there's an aging old guard that includes Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom and San Jose's Joe Thornton — the question is who might have a chance to grab a share of the spotlight this weekend and potentially beyond?
"For those who are really keyed on Crosby or Ovechkin, maybe it is an opportunity to see some of the other dynamic and exciting players, which the NHL has a lot of," Calgary forward Jarome Iginla said. "But yeah, I think the stage is there."
Three of the past five No. 1 draft picks are playing — Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos, Chicago's Patrick Kane and New York Islanders' John Tavares. Led by Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin, the NHL's top nine and 14 of the top 15 points leaders are here.
The Vancouver Canucks' Sedin twins are no pushovers, given that they rank 1-2 in the NHL in points — Henrik has 258 and Daniel 240 — since the start of the 2009-10 season according to STATS LLC.
And of the 42 All-Star players in attendance, the consensus top pick leans toward Datsyuk.
"His talent is probably as good as anybody's," said Chara, the Boston Bruins defenseman who selected Datsyuk first overall in the All-Star draft a day earlier.
"I remember we had a game against him in Boston, and he was on a short-handed situation and made two or three guys look like Peewees. ... He just does stuff that really makes you go, 'Wow, that was special.'"
Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard went a step further when it came to praising both Datsyuk and Malkin. Though acknowledging his bias regarding Datsyuk, Howard believes the two are "best in the world."
The soft-spoken Datsyuk accepted the praise in familiar fashion: with humility. And he cracked a big smile when asked what he'd feel like if he was selected the All-Star game's MVP.
"If it happens, it might be I don't have any dreams any more," said the 10-year NHL veteran and seven-time 20-goal scorer.
When it came to mentioning whom he's rooting for, Datsyuk listed Malkin, Stamkos, and then noted how special it would be for the Senators duo of Alfredsson or Jason Spezza to succeed in their hometown.
"So far it's four," Datsyuk said. "It's enough or you want more?"
For Stamkos, the All-Star game is a chance to add a few more fond memories in Ottawa, where the Tampa Bay Lightning selected him first overall in the 2008 draft.
"I remember that day like it was yesterday and probably will for a long time," Stamkos said. "I've had some great memories here, especially at that rink. And I'm looking to create some more memories now, and I'm sure I will."
Stamkos has so far played up to his billing. Since his rookie season, Stamkos' 151 career goals rank second behind Ovechkin's 158 over that span, according to STATS.
That doesn't mean Stamkos believes he's in a position to supplant Ovechkin or Crosby this weekend.
"I don't think anyone really thinks of it like that," Stamkos said. "Sid and Ovi are arguably two of the best players in the world, and they deserve all the accolades they get. Everyone here wants to showcase their skills and prove they deserve to be at this game. It's fun."
All-Star Notebook: Alfredsson to test his shot skills against Chara
OTTAWA (AP) — Daniel Alfredsson will have a big challenge on his hands in the All-Star skills competition — trying to unseat four-time hardest-shot champ Zdeno Chara.
One day after choosing up sides in a player draft, the two All-Star game captains got to work Friday. The captains of Team Alfredsson and Team Chara, along with their respective alternate captains, Henrik Ludqvist and Joffrey Lupul, made their own roster assignments for the six events to be contested Saturday night.
Alfredsson and Chara both called their own numbers to take part in the hardest-shot competition.
Chara broke his own record last year in Raleigh, N.C., with a 105.9 mph slap shot to take his fourth straight title. He also tabbed Washington's Dennis Wideman, Toronto captain Dion Phaneuf and Luke Adam, Team Chara's rookie competitor in the category.
Nashville's Shea Weber, last year's runner-up with a 104.8 mph blast, will also compete for Team Alfredsson, along with Ottawa center Jason Spezza and rookie Justin Faulk of Carolina.
GIVING BACK: Hall of Fame center Pat LaFontaine, Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk, and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman were on hand for the dedication of a state-of-art playroom at Ottawa's Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario on Friday.
The Lion's Den NHL All-Star Legacy Playroom is the result of a combined effort of LaFontaine's Companions in Courage charity, the NHL, NHLPA and the Senators.
LaFontaine, whose career was cut short by concussions, expressed his worries about Sidney Crosby's potential for making a full recovery from successive head injuries.
"I'm hopeful but I also know science," LaFontaine said. "I also know what happens if you get multiple head injuries and when you're at this point, when it's taking you not much of a hit to put you that far out, it's very concerning — very concerning."
NEW HELMET DESIGN: With concussions a big concern around the NHL, an equipment company is introducing what it claims to be a first-of-its kind helmet that is touted to protect against both direct and glancing blows that cause the brain to rotate.
Bauer Hockey Inc. unveiled its "Re-Akt" helmet at the NHL All-Star weekend festivities in Ottawa on Friday, saying its design features a free-floating stretchable liner that moves independently from the rest of the helmet. By doing so, the liner is capable of better protecting the brain from rotational forces that can also lead to concussions.
Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller has said it was that type of glancing blow that led to him sustaining a concussion and whiplash, and forced him to miss nine games earlier this season after he was bowled over by Boston Bruins forward Milan Lucic.
Though warning no helmet is concussion proof, Bauer officials say they've had positive results after two-plus years of testing their product.
Philadelphia Flyers forward Claude Giroux has worn the helmet for the past three games and intends to continue using it. Giroux missed four games earlier this season as a result of a concussion.
Tampa Bay Lightning star Steven Stamkos said he has used the helmet in practice and intends to start wearing it in games. Stamkos acknowledged Crosby's lingering problems were a wakeup call.
"I think it was alarming the last year and a half, the amount of concussions that were being diagnosed and the amount of time that guys are missing, obviously with Sid and his situation," Stamkos said of Crosby, who missed the last half of last season and limited to playing just eight games this season.
"I think that was kind of the thing that made it go over the top, seeing a player of his caliber and the amount of time that he's missed."
The helmet, which also features a lock on the back that tightens the fit around a player's head, is scheduled to go on sale to the public in May, and initially retail for about $220.
CASUAL OBSERVER: New York Rangers coach John Tortorella is in Ottawa officially serving as the Team Alfredsson head coach. In actuality, he has no plans to do any work, saying he's leaving all the decisions — including line combinations and goalie rotation — up to Alfredsson.
"We're window dressing as far as I'm concerned," Tortorella said of the coaches' role this weekend. "This needs to be about them. I'm going to watch and enjoy it. I'm going to be a fan."
Other NHL News
Blackhawks get Morrison from Flames
CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Blackhawks have acquired veteran center Brendan Morrison from the Calgary Flames for minor league defenseman Brian Connelly.
The 36-year-old Morrison has 200 goals and 601 points over parts of 15 NHL seasons, the past two with the Flames. He has four goals and seven assists this season.
Morrison has also skated for New Jersey, Vancouver, Anaheim, Dallas and Washington. He has eight goals and 21 assists in 58 career playoff games. The 25-year-old Connelly has spent parts of the past four seasons as a member of the AHL's Rockford IceHogs.
