The NHL announced their league all-star teams on Wednesday night and for the first time in league history a player has been named to the first team five years in a row. That player is Alexander Ovechkin. Ovechkin’s season of 50 goals and 59 assists helped him cinch his spot on the first team and in the league’s history books. As for the rest of the first team, it looks like this:
Goalie
Ryan Miller - Buffalo Sabres
Defensemen
Duncan Keith - Chicago Blackhawks
Mike Green - Washington Capitals
Right Wing
Patrick Kane - Chicago Blackhawks
Center
Henrik Sedin - Vancouver Canucks
Left Wing
Alexander Ovechkin - Washington Capitals
Tough to argue with a first team that includes the Hart, Ted Lindsay, Norris and Vezina Trophy winners.The amazing part here is that the other five guys outside of Ovechkin are all first time first team honorees. Duncan Keith and Mike Green would certainly make for a dynamic pairing getting equal parts offense and defense from the two of them. Henrik Sedin takes the crown as the top center over Sidney Crosby and considering that Sedin won the Hart Trophy, it makes a ton of sense. Patrick Kane and his now mullet-free self rounds out the list.
As for the second team, it’s as equally impressive and features a couple more guys getting their first league-wide recognition.
Goalie
Ilya Bryzgalov - Phoenix Coyotes
Defensemen
Drew Doughty - Los Angeles Kings
Nicklas Lidstrom - Detroit Red Wings
Right Wing
Martin St. Louis - Tampa Bay Lightning
Center
Sidney Crosby - Pittsburgh Penguins
Left Wing
Daniel Sedin - Vancouver Canucks
Sidney Crosby headlines this list with the twin brother of the newest league MVP in Daniel Sedin. It marks the first time in 36 years that brothers have been named to the League All-Star team when Tony and Phil Esposito did it in 1973-1974. It’s good to see the league recognizing the yeoman work that Ilya Bryzgalov did in Phoenix to keep the Coyotes rolling all season long. For Drew Doughty it’s likely it’ll be the first of many league all-star selections for him. Lady Byng winner Martin St. Louis rounds out the list after having a solid year with the Lightning.
