Given the expected one player per team, then, who should each team send to Raleigh? 

AROUND THE PACIFIC

Hiller’s recent charge to the upper echelon of NHL goalies is coming just in time to make his first All-Star team. He’s currently riding a two-game shutout streak to move into a tie for second in the league in wins (21) and shutouts (4), and third in save percentage (.929).

 

The Swiss netminder can only hope his goals-against average (2.39, 13th in the league) isn’t misconstrued. The Ducks don’t have the best defensive core in the post Scott-Niedermayer era, reflected by the fact that Hiller has faced more shots than any NHL goalie. It’s important to put that GAA in context.

 

Hiller may be the Ducks’ MVP so far, but he’ll be hard-pressed to punch his ticket to the All-Star Game. It’s a strong year for goalies and Carey Price, Ondrej Pavelec and Tim Thomas would love to join the people's choice – Marc-Andre Fleury – in Raleigh.

 

All-Star snubs: Corey Perry, Teemu Selanne 

Richards is the only sure bet in this group to be playing hockey Jan. 30. A strong, young core has emerged to complement his talents, but Richards is still the top dog in the Big D.

 

Partly because he’s got help around him, the 30-year-old center is on pace for career-highs in goals and points with 18 and 49, respectively, in 43 games so far. Richards also has a plus-9 rating – never a metric used to determine an all-star, but a just reward for his solid two-way game.

 

Statistically speaking, Richards’ two previous best seasons were 2005-06 and 2009-10. Maybe because those were both Olympic years, Richards has amazingly never made an All-Star team before. That will change today.

 

All-Star snubs: Loui Eriksson 

It’s a tough call here between Kopitar and goalie Jonathan Quick, but we give the nod to Kopitar fully confident that Quick will make his share of All-Star games in the future.

 

Tied for ninth in the league in scoring with 45 points, Kopitar is the Kings’ only point-per-game player. After a slow start to the season the 23-year-old center has added some sizzle in recent weeks, like these two passes to set up linemate Dustin Brown for goals. They’re among the prettiest you’ll see all season and would be a perfect addition at the All-Star Game. 

 

All-Star snubs: Quick, Jack Johnson 

Outside of Arizona, Yandle might be the most underrated hockey player on the planet – and we’re not exaggerating.

 

Imagine if a 24-year-old defenseman were leading, for example, the Toronto Maple Leafs in assists (24) and points (30), time on ice (24:34), and carried a minus-2 rating despite lining up against the best players in the league? He wouldn’t just be a household name – he’d be the second coming of Bobby Orr.

 

The Boston native has flown so far under the radar that his first U.S. National Team appearance came last summer at the World Championships, an afterthought to the Olympics. The All-Star game could be his next big break.

 

All-Star snub: Shane Doan 

No NHL player averages more ice time per game than Boyle (27:01), who is near the top of most statistical categories among NHL defensemen.

 

That’s all the more important on a Sharks team that has struggled to fill the void left by retired captain Rob Blake. Boyle’s fifth on the team in points (29), which ranks 10th among all NHL blueliners.

 

Those merits should be enough on their own. Boyle will be helped by the fact the Sharks’ best forwards (Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley, Patrick Marleau, Logan Couture, Ryane Clowe) are close enough statistically to split the opinion of the league’s hockey operations department.

 

Remarkably, Boyle has only appeared in one All-Star Game in his 12-year career – in 2009, his first year in San Jose.

 

All-Star snubs: Heatley, Couture.

The Coyotes traded underachieving F Wojtek Wolski to the New York Rangers on Monday for D Michal Roszival. … Former San Jose prospect Tom Cavanagh was found dead Thursday inside a Providence, R.I. parking garage. The 28-year-old had been a free agent since he was released by the AHL’s Springfield Falcons on Nov. 10. … Sharks GM Doug Wilson met with players and coaches Friday for about 15 minutes to express his disappointment at the team’s “reactive and inconsistent” play. … Hiller was named the NHL’s second star of the week Monday. … Prospect Igor Bobkov delivered a memorable relief performance in goal to lead Russia to the gold medal at the World Junior Championships. … NHL commissioner Gary Bettman spent the weekend in Southern California – first at Scott Niedermayer’s retirement party Saturday, then addressing the possibility of a future Winter Classic game in the Golden State on Sunday. … Kings D Jack Johnson agreed to a seven-year, $30.5 million contract extension Saturday. He’ll keep a good chunk of it, too – Johnson did his own negotiating without an agent.

Photo by Getty Images

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