The NHL All-Star Game has taken many different formats since the end of the Campbell and Wales conferences in 1992-93.
We’ve had North America vs. the World, East vs. West and teams made from a fantasy draft. The league will use divisional teams and a 3-on-3 setting for the first time Sunday when the 2016 NHL All-Star Game is played in Nashville.
Let’s rank the best of the four All-Star teams from worst to best.
4. Central Division
Goalies: Devan Dubnyk (MIN), Pekka Rinne (NSH)
Defensemen: Dustin Byfuglien (WPG), Roman Josi (NSH), Shea Weber (NSH)
Forwards: Jamie Benn (DAL), Tyler Seguin (DAL), Matt Duchene (COL), Patrick Kane (CHI), James Neal (NSH), Vladimir Tarasenko (STL)
This might be a surprise to some people. Sure, this is by far the best group of forwards, but the Central has the worst set of goalies and defensemen.
Rinne shouldn’t be in this game. He’s having a poor season with a .906 save percentage and a 2.47 goals against average. Rinne almost certainly wouldn’t be an All-Star if he didn’t play for the host team. Dubnyk has been solid with a .922 save percentage, but he’s far from elite.
Byfuglien will be a fun player in the 3-on-3 setting, and Josi is one of the most underrated D-men in the league. Weber is not built for a fast-paced game and isn’t a top 15 defensemen anymore. He also probably wouldn’t be here if he didn’t play for the host team.
The forward group boasts the top three scorers in the league — Kane, Benn and Seguin, in that order. Tarasenko ranks sixth in goals scored and Duchene is tied for seventh. The Central must score a ton of goals to bail out its goaltending.
3. Pacific Division
Goaltenders: John Gibson (ANA), Jonathan Quick (LAK)
Defensemen: Brent Burns (SJS), Drew Doughty (LAK), Mark Giordano (CGY)
Forwards: Johnny Gaudreau (CGY), Taylor Hall (EDM), Joe Pavelski (SJS), Corey Perry (ANA), John Scott (ARI), Daniel Sedin (VAN)
Quick is one of six goalies with a perfect save percentage during 3-on-3 play, and he’ll be protected by three highly skilled, smooth-skating defensemen.
The forward group also is well-balanced with quality goal scorers Corey Perry and Taylor Hall, along with all-around stars such as Gaudreau and Sedin. Scott, who surprisingly won the fan vote despite limited skills as a fourth-line enforcer, will have a tough time keeping up the fast-paced 3-on-3 action. However, it’ll be fun to watch him in this sort of setting, one he’d never be in during a normal game.
Via Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports
2. Atlantic Division
Goalies: Roberto Luongo (FLA), Ben Bishop (TBL)
Defensemen: Aaron Ekblad (FLA), Erik Karlsson (OTT), P.K. Subban (MTL)
Forwards: Patrice Bergeron (BOS), Jaromir Jagr (FLA), Leo Komarov (TOR), Dylan Larkin (DET), Ryan O’Reilly (BUF), Steven Stamkos (TBL)
Luongo is a dark horse Hart Trophy candidate for having the Panthers at the top of Atlantic Division and save percentage leaderboard at the break. His teammate, Aaron Ekblad, is a great fit for 3-on-3, as is likely Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson, who leads all defensemen in scoring. Subban’s incredible skating and offensive skill should generate plenty of scoring chances as well.
The forward group is good, but not great. Bergeron is the best of the lot and his elite defensive skill will be valuable against many of the most talented scorers in the league. Jagr and Komarov might have trouble keeping up with the pace of 3-on-3, but Larkin, O’Reilly and Stamkos should provide enough offense for this team to be competitive.
Via Sergei Belski/USA TODAY Sports Images
1. Metropolitan Division
Goalies: Braden Holtby (WSH), Cory Schneider (NJD)
Defensemen: Justin Faulk (CAR), Kris Letang (PIT), Ryan McDonagh (NYR)
Forwards: Nicklas Backstrom (WSH), Evgeny Kuznetzov (WSH), Claude Giroux (PHI), Evgeni Malkin (PIT), Brandon Saad (CLB), John Tavares (NYI)
The Metro features the best goalie tandem. Holtby has been the league’s best netminder for the team likely to win the President’s Trophy, while Schneider is having a Vezina Trophy-caliber campaign and boasts a .967 save percentage during 3-on-3 play.
Faulk is one of the most underappreciated defensemen in the league and his excellent skating and playmaking ability is perfect for 3-on-3. Letang also is a good fit for this format as one of the league’s best offensive defensemen.
Losing Alexander Ovechkin to injury was a tough loss, but teammate and replacement Evgeny Kuznetsov has been one of the breakout stars of the campaign and leads Washington in scoring. Giroux is the highest-scoring player since the start of the 2011-12 season, and he’ll be joined by two elite No. 1 centers in Malkin and Tavares.
This is the most well-balanced team in the All-Star Game and the favorite to win.
Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
