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Wales Conference Reserves Announced

The voting is in, and the Wales conference All Star starting lineup has been decided. A team that spent much of the fist half of the season at the top of the conference is quite well-represented. The New York Islanders have surprised much of the league by continuing to win despite the departure of future Hall of Fame goalie Doug Soetaert this offseason. Three players slotted to start the All Star game have been largely responsible for the continued success of the franchise. Center Michel Goulet has continued to dominate this season, and is currently only behind Wayne Gretzky for the league lead in both goals and points. Right Wing Guy Chouinard currently leads all of his Wales Conference counterparts in points, with an even 25 goals and 25 assists. Defenseman Craig Hartsburg rounds out the participants coming out of Long Island. Hartsburg's 34 points are only 6 behind his starting defensive partner Toronto's Larry Murphy for tops in the league. The Wales conference will have some serious firepower on the blue line thanks to these two.

At the position of left wing, the young phenom John LeClair is set to represent the upstart Philadelphia Flyers. His 44 points are good for 2nd in Wales left wing production, and he should add some youthful energy to the veteran squad. The last man to round out this edition of the Wales Conference starters is one of the best to ever step between the pipes, Don Edwards of the Washington Capitals. Much like his effect on the emergence of the Quebec Nordiques a couple seasons ago, Edwards has managed to put the Caps on his back and brought them into the midst of the Wales elite.

GM Brandon Johnson was tasked this season with managing the Wales Conference team and filling out the rest of the lineup. His Buffalo Sabres making it to last season's SMJ Cup Finals earned him the honor, and it's been said that he is dead set on gaining some revenge on his All Star counterpart, GM Mike Smith. "I would be lying if I said it wouldn't be satisfying to get one back here against old Smitty (GM Mike Smith). He and I went back and forth quite a bit last year in the finals and getting some bragging rights going into this year's playoffs would be a nice setup to another Finals matchup this year," GM Johnson explained.

At the position of center, GM Johnson had some tough choices to make. Many of the Wales Conference teams build from the middle out, and have quite a few elite pivots on their teams. The first choice Johnson made might have been an obvious one, as he put Center Laurie Boschman at the top of his list. Boschman has been the definition of clutch for his Sabres over the years and is having another fine season, just slightly out of the league assist lead and one point back of 4th place for production of all centers in the league. Next was a man from the New Jersey Devils that has been described as a younger Laurie Boschman, Peter Zezel. Zezel has done all he can in Jersey to make them a winner and although he is a few years from having help, has done some amazing production on his own. His production doesn't just stop with points, as Zezel's punishing hits have put the league on notice that there will never be an easy game in Jersey. Another center that not only puts up huge points but enjoys smashing the opposition and being hard to play against is Toronto's Glenn Anderson. He rounds out the Wales Conference Centers and also puts an exclamation point on the statement that Johnson's All Star team will be unpleasant to play against.

On the left wing, GM Johnson had some more tough decisions to make. There is a lot of firepower floating around in the Wales Conference this year, so Johnson had to look at who would have the best chemistry with his centers. Boston's Sean McKenna is still young, but has shown a lot of promise up to this point in his career. GM Johnson explained that he would like to see what McKenna could do when paired up with an elite center, so he received the All Star nod and represents his Boston Bruins proudly. Next GM Johnson went to an old friend in former Sabre but current Toronto Maple Leaf, Pat Lafontaine. Lafontaine should bring some much needed scoring to the Wales lineup as his 45 points currently tie him for the tops in Wales left wing point production. Lastly, GM Johnson went to Hartford in hopes of rekindling some All Star magic with former All Star MVP, Sergei Makarov. The last All Star game Makarov was involved in, he looked like a man possessed and became the clear choice for the MVP of the weekend.

In the position of right wing, GM Johnson had to go a little bit off the board with his choices and look to his GM instincts a bit. The right wing points leaders have largely been dominated by the Campbell Conference this season, so GM Johnson had to look at what each player brought to the table on paper and decide who would best fit in with the rest of his lineup. His first choice could arguably have been placed as a starter if the votes went just a bit differently. Philadelphia's Cam Neely got the nod, and should bring the right mix of grit and scoring that the Wales Conference needs against their Campbell counterparts. Next, GM Johnson looked homeward as he felt the elite scoring of Buffalo Sabre Denis Savard would be an important ingredient in trying to match the firepower that GM Smith will surely be bringing. Lastly, the New York Rangers would provide a solid addition to the squad in winger Carey Wilson. Wilson's 38 points and +14 rating make him one of the safer more responsible choices, as GM Johnson doesn't want to see this turn into a back-and-forth free-wheeling affair.

For defensemen, there were so many unbelievable options for GM Johnson to go through, he again had to make some difficult decisions. The balance of offensive firepower and having the pieces to shut opposing offense down is a tricky one, and could have much to do with the success or failure of this team. Johnson's first choice was clearly one of offensive firepower in Montreal's Tomas Jonsson. Jonsson should be a great offensive threat alongside a shutdown defenseman and on the squad's top powerplay unit. Next, GM Johnson went with one of the most overall elite defensemen in NFHL history, Ray Bourque from Quebec. While Bourque isn't having quite the season he did last year, his ability to be a game changer in all areas hasn't changed and it's expected that Bourque will be used in all situations. The next defender chosen is arguably the best player currently playing on the Pittsburgh Penguins, Petr Svoboda. Svoboda's 24 points are respectable for the young defenseman and his 158 hits lead the team by a mile and are also 2nd overall in the league! Lastly, GM Johnson looked to his own roster to round out the defensive squad, bringing the always scary Fred Boimistruck to the table. 'Boomer' hasn't had the point production this season that he normally has, but his 23 points and +8 rating are still quite resepectable. His 138 hits are good for 4th in the league and his presence is a clear statement that Johnson plans to punish the opposing squad as much as possible.

The final spot to fill was a very important one, between the pipes. GM Johnson was already feeling very confident with starter Don Edwards of Washington guarding the twine, but the correct choice as his backup could make for a fairly bulletproof Wales Conference team. After much deliberation, GM Johnson went with Hartford Whaler Don Beaupre for the final spot on his team. Beaupre has been such a large part of the recent success of the Hartford Whalers and this season is no different. Beaupre's .893 save % make him a top 5 goalie in the league, and his record is among the league's top 4. The offensive punch coming from the Campbell conference has to be answered by someone, and there may be no two better choices to do so than the players Johnson went with.

With that, the stage has been set in the Wales Conference for one of the most competitive All Star games we have seen to date. With the way this roster has been built it is likely to be an ugly affair with plenty of hits, probably some fights and tons of back and forth action. There is no love lost between these two GMs that met in a bitter Cup Final last season, and it is very likely that when the league collides those emotions will come spilling out on the ice.

1990 CAMPBELL CONFERENCE ALL-STARS

Good evening to all the general managers around the NFHL. I have been provided the opportunity to select the reserves for the Campbell Conference this year. I want to thank you personally for everyone that took time out to make their selections for whom they felt deserved to be on the starting line up. By the looks of things in our conference there wasn't much of a race in any position. I want to start by saying that rules within the Charter direct me to select one player from each team, minimum, to represent that franchise at the All Star game. My plan of attack was to go through the entire conference and see who else was most deserved to attend, no matter which team. After I pencilled in these players, I started to fill the remaining holes on the roster with representatives from the teams that are having less successful seasons than others. Given this information, you may see my selections “off the board” or less traditional than just going to the stats page and selecting the “best” player. I have also decided that I wanted to fill as much scoring talent on the top two scoring lines, and add as much muscle and truculence without sacrificing too much talent on the bottom two lines. Whether you agree or not, thats entirely up to you. I hope this event is exciting for each franchise and that our Campbell Conference All-Stars once again dominate the weekend!

Let's get to it. Here are the players you voted to hit the ice for puck drop!

Centre – Wayne Gretzky – Edmonton Oilers

I guess this is as good a place as it gets to start. Gretzky is the absolute best player of this generation, hands down. He is quickly climbing the career leaderboard and will likely be the greatest scorer of all time once he hangs them up. Currently, Wayne is the only player to reach 30 goals this season and is sitting atop the board for the race to the Art Ross trophy as well. Gretzky is no slouch physically either and will absolutely use every inch of his 6'0 and 185 pound frame to create space for himself and teammates. There is no surprise that Wayne will slot in on the top line in Chicago.

Left Wing – Steve Yzerman – Colorado Rockies

I am more than positive that Steve Yzerman will be able to fit in nicely with Wayne's style of play. Yzerman is the highest producing left wingerer and is currently 4^th in league scoring. He has had success playing for our franchise in Colorado averaging around 75 points a year. If Stevie can keep it up, he should be able to reach the 100 point plateau for the first time in his career. Yzerman is the youngest starting member of the squad here in Chicago and, at 25 years old, he has several great years ahead of him.

Right Wing – Jari Kurri – Edmonton Oilers

While I didn't think Kurri was going to run away with the voting (which he did), I am happy to see him up front with his usual line mate. Gretzky and Kurri will have no problem with their chemistry. Kurri is the second highest scoring ringt winger in the conference and has already hit 20 goals for the 9^th consecutive season to start his career. I'd bet Kurri has a chance to score 4 in a game like this with so many solid passers around him. He is an incredible sniper with pinpoint accuracy.

Blue Line – D1 – Paul Coffey – Edmonton Oilers

I am going to have a blast sitting down with the coaching staff and going over all the ways we can use Paul Coffey at the ASG. This guy is like a forward with his breakneck speed and gifted offensive talent. I cannot sell him short on the defensive side of the puck as well. Coffey uses that same speed to get his ass back in the play and cut forwards off at the pass. He is able to read the play and jump on top of cross ice passes. I might try to see if he could play 40 minutes! I am told his endurance is that of legend. I want to be able to unleash Coffey and see if he is the game breaker I expect he will be.

Blue Line – D2 – Alexei Kasatonov – Los Angeles Kings

LA will only have one representative at the ASG this year but it's well deserved. The Kings' captain is an offensive leader with 10 goals thus far. He has a knack of getting pucks through crowds and is typically looked upon as a two way defender. His endurance may not be up to snuff to keep him rolling with Coffey the entire game, but he will get his looks on the top line for sure.

Goalie – Denis Herron – Colorado Rockies

I thought there might be a case where we saw a tighter race for the top spot. When we look at the stats, we can see why Herron is the runaway winner. In what should likely be his NFHL swan song, Herron is putting up heroic numbers like Doug Soetaert did on his way out the door in Long Island. He is currently on pace to set a new record for save percentage. The record is currently shared by Soetaert and Vlad Tretiak at .911. There is still plenty of hockey to be played by Herron and the Rockies but a sparkling .917 has helped Denis get the nod to start the game in The Windy City.

RESERVES:

C – Peter Stastny (Colorado Rockies), Mark Messier (Edmonton Oilers), Sergei Fedorov (Calgary Flames)

It would be hard pressed to find another GM in the league that wouldn't have selected Stosh for this spot. Stastny is second only to Gretzky in total points and is a player able to slot in on the PP and PK. I would consider Peter as a pass first kinda guy and expect him to look for teammates early and often in this game. I'd like to use Peter a lot in the game but I am hoping to limit his minutes as he is the Rockies most dangerous weapon in my opinion.

The Moose was selected over my own darling Igor Larionov as I felt Mark was the perfect choice for 3^rd line centre. He is such a savage on the ice and will fit nicely in with my strategy of muscle on the bottom two lines. Messier is the 5^th highest scorer in the league (4^th among centres). The Oilers boast an unreal 1-2 punch and I have no fear of Messier running roughshod over whomever has the unfortunate assignment of having to cover this bulldozer.

I was extremely happy to see what was waiting for me in Calgary. This 21-year old rocket outta Russia is averaging over a point per game and is a shoo-in when looking at the Flames roster. He is still filling out but is smart enough on ice to be responsible in the defensive zone. I am confident that starting him in our own end will allow us to utilize out big boys where it matters. Federov's leadership is beyond his years and this experience will do him well moving forward in his career. Sergei's top quality seems to be his ability to break up the play with an active stick. This lines up well with getting him to centre the 4^th line.

LW – Mario Tremblay (Colorado Rockies), Dale Hawerchuk (Anaheim Ducks), Bob Probert (Chicago Blackhawks)

I got to thinking about chemistry after watching Gretzky and Kurri get paired up on the top line. Mario Tremblay is the natural LW line mate with Peter Stastny. No, that most definitely isn't the main reason he was selected, as Tremblay is having a tremendous season in his own right. He is 8^th overall in league scoring and is the 2^nd highest scoring left winger behind only ASG starter Steve Yzerman in the entire NFHL. Mario continues to astound me as he seems to find a new skill to work on in the offseason. I swear he come back as a better overall player every year. Mario has done well adjusting to moving over from the centre position. His passing from the side boards to the opposite side of the rink is magical. I am extremely happy to have been able to select him to this game. He will be part of an incredible second line I am sure!

Ducks GM John Smith (someone check his birth certificate) took a bold stance this preseason when he pulled the trigger on a franchise altering deal with Hartford. Anaheim landed a big fish in Dale Hawerchuk. Overall, the trade has seemed to work out for both clubs, but the immediate impact Hawerchuk has had with the Duck's is extraordinary. He has helped to catapult the Ducks into what will be their first playoff appearance in franchise history. He is the 3^rd highest scoring left winger in the entire league and naturally slots into the 3^rd line role behind the two he chases. To date Hawerchuk has 26 goals which is good enough for 3^rd overall in the NFHL. He has never produced more than 77 points in Hartford but a change in scenery has done him well. He is on pace for 47 goals and 84 points.I don't look at Dale as a typical 3^rd liner, but obviously in this game guys are going to have to understand their ice time could be taken back a bit. I don't want him to think defensively as I want to create a team that is attack, attack, attack.

I'm actually pretty excited to see Bob Probert lace them up for the ASG. Probert will get to play in front of the home crowd as the only Hawks representative. Bob gets some heat around the league for his “undisciplined” play. But I absolutely love his style, but hate that he is in the Norris Division and not wearing the Rockies sweater.... but maybe I can change that down the road. Regardless, Probert adds some of that muscle I was talking about before without having to sacrifice too much skill. Probert has 21 goals and 18 assists for 39 total points just after the halfway mark. His 287 PIMS is 2^nd in the league and while this is the All Star Game, it still counts. Winners take home the prom queen. Probert and I had a chat and I let him know that I do not want him to change anything about his game. Go out there and put Goulet through the glass if you must. His skating is a little weaker but with the amount of talent thats going to surround him on the ice, I have no fear that Bob will be able to help create a few memories.

RW – Brett Hull (Colorado Rockies), Mike Foligno (Vancouver Canucks), Rick Tocchet (Minnesota North Stars)

An all-Rockies second line gives me a little tingle. While Hull and Tremblay have yet to skate together this season, Stosh has gone back and forth alternating lines at centre. He has played with both and has had success with both. I was surprised that Brett didn't get many looks to start the game. He is currently leading the NFHL in scoring from a right winger with 54 points. Brett's 52 assists last year came as a bit of a surprise as I always looked at him as a shooter. But last year all anyone had to do was give Larry the puck and the odds were good. Hull is on pace for 98 points and would be a personal best by a good chunk. Either way, the results of the vote didn't matter so much as Hull was a lock to attend the game. He and Kurri are easily the best right wingers in the Campbell Confernce.

Mike Foligno is currently leading his team in points with 18 goals and 24 assists. I've watched him over the course of his career and even made a play to acquire him a few seasons back. I like that he plays with an edge. He reminds me of Messier in the way that he is a bull on the puck and can focus on breaking up a rush with his defensive positioning. Foligno will likely be asked to be slotted in on the penalty kill as well. I feel his fearlessness in blocking shots will come in handy if Probert and the boys find themselves in the sin bin a little more than we anticipated. I have no doubt given his endurance and durability that Foligno will play a huge role in this game but may not get any of the credit.

GM Martin Grech and I had a conversation about who he felt were his best candidates to represent the organization at this event. I had made my decision and had reached out to the Tomas Sandstrom camp. Sandstrom was briefly in Colorado and it was unfortunate that he had to move on, but I felt this would have been a nice bone to throw him. Tomas is having a solid year and I wanted to add some speed to the bottom line. It's not like Federov and Probert to whip around the ice at much speed. I spoke with Tomas who was at home nursing his injured back. I wanted to see if he felt he would be able to return prior to the ASG. It was a short conversation as Sandstrom said without a doubt he would take as much time and was not prepared to rush things for the game. He thanked me for the invitation and suggested I look at Rick Tocchet as his replacement. Rick was one of the two names Grech gave me as suggestions. I felt my blue line was already figured out so I gave Tocchet a look. His point production is right where it needs to be, coming in close to a point per game. The thing that concerned me was bringing in yet another PIMs monster. But hey, if you're looking for a walk in the park this isn't going to be it. Tocchet will be one half of my Bruise Brothers.

Blue Line: Don Sweeney (Winnipeg Jets), Michel Petit (San Jose Sharks), Joe Cirella (Detroit Red Wings), Jamie Macoun (St. Louis Blues)

So here is where the fun lies in choosing a representative from each team. I am totally supporting that each team gets a rep, it makes complete sense from a fan's perspective. Give each fan base someone to root for and watch during the festivities. I have a feeling the Top 4 will play heavily during the game but rest assured our 3^rd pairing will get regular minutes at even strength.

I absolutely love the development of Don Sweeney so far. The guy is a complete beast on the blue line. By no means does he fit the ASG prototype and even his GM David Corcoran was a little surprised at the selection. I let Corky know that Sweeney will probably be double shifted on the 2^nd/4^th pairing as his endurance is almost maxed out. I don't think I've ever seen him break a sweat. He has such incredible speed that it's easy to forget that he isn't much WITH the puck. Sweeney is going to be in charge of shadowing Goulet and the rest of those speed demons over in the Wales Conference. He will undoubtedly get major minutes on the PK if the game turns into one of those types of games.

His playing partner at even strength will mostly be Joe Cirella of the Red Wings. I selected Joe for last year's ASG as well and he did not disappoint. Joe has one of the hardest shots the league has ever seen and showed that cannon off last year. His bullet in the hardest shot competition is the hardest recorded shot in our league's history at 105.3 MPH. With that rocket, and his play so far this season I could never forgive myself if i didn't extend the invite to return this time around. He leads his team in plus/minus at +18 and his 25 assists is tied for the most in Detroit. I feel that balance that he will bring to the pairing will allow for the forwards to run free without fear of a turnover.

26-year old Michel Petit will make his first ASG appearance. His -4 is respectable given his team has allowed 115 more goals than they have scored to date. Petit is a top pairing defender for the Sharks and will probably get around 10-12 minutes in this game. While at first glance he may appear in over his head but I have a strong feeling Petit will not back down from a challenge. He isn't much of a hitter, and is probably considered more of an offensive defenseman than anything. If Michel can cool his temper I think he will do just fine. His defensive position combined with his speed should be enough as long as he focuses on staying in the middle of the ice. I am confident Petit will represent the Sharks in fine fashion.

Rounding out our Campbell Conference blue line is Jamie Macoun of the St Louis Blues. Continuing with my plan I nabbed Macoun as another shutdown type of defender. I feel he has enough speed and skating ability that he will be able to hold the fort when called upon. He too has an active stick and can break up a rush with his positioning. He is defensive minded and will let the big dogs up front eat. He is 7^th overall in total hits and I love that he will bring this play type to the ASG. Jamie fits the profile of the team we want to create to a T, this is why he has been selected. I feel that he has earned the right to participate and represent the Blues organization.

Goalies – Tom Barrasso (Edmonton Oilers), Allan Bester (Winnipeg Jets)

There were a few names that I could have selected for the backup position for the club here. Looking at the stats though I was blown away by a certain number and there was no way I could leave Barrasso off the team. Tommy is leading the league in wins with 25 in 37 games played. He knows how to get the job done. With the roster that the Oilers have its arguably just as good, or better, than the one we are icing here and Barrasso knows how to play behind them. Without a doubt Barrasso's numbers are worthy of the selection. Having the combo of Herron and Barrasso in net should help us keep up with the likes of Edwards or Hasek, Patty Roy or anyone else the Wales throws at us in the skills competition.

Yup, you see that correctly. Allan Bester is an All Star Reserve as the skills competition requires three goalies. While Bester will not dress for the game itself, we will need his services for an event or two. Bester is one of two goalies with a save percentage better than .900. The other is starting the game for us. His GAA is second best in the conference. I considered bringing Kelly Hrudey along for the ride but figured since he wasn't going to be suiting up for the game he may as well stay home with the boys and take the opportunity to rest up. Allan is a good compliment to the goalie tandem we already have. The experience he will get could be once in a lifetime so I hope he takes the time to enjoy it.

Overall I like the depth and skill level of the forwards. There is an overabundance of talent throughout the league and I was blessed with having several of this year's leading scorers to select from. I spoke about the muscle on the bottom two lines and I am hoping the Wales keeps a bit of doubt in their mind when they come across the ice with speed. Our defence is probably considered the weakest link but i chose players to fill specific roles. Our defenders are gifted at their specialty and I am confident if they stick to what they know, we will be in good shape. In the crease I feel Herron has had plenty of experience with the majority of the names the Wales will throw at us. Barrasso is capable of keeping us in it in the event that we need to put him in.

There are always going to be players, fans and owners upset with seeing a possible All Star not selected for the game. In another set of circumstances these players could have made the club. I wanted to give a shout out to these players.

Honourable Mention:

Steve Thomas – Winnipeg Jets

Rod Shutt – Detroit Red Wings

Steve Larmer – Edmonton Oilers

Rick Vaive – St. Louis Blues

Steve Konroyd – Anaheim Ducks

Jim Peplinski – Los Angeles Kings

Igor Larionov – Colorado Rockies

Captains and Alternates:

I have spoken with both Wayne and Mario to let them know that they will be our Campbell Conference alternate captains. Wayne captained the 1986 Oilers to an SMJ Cup championship. He is a natural leader and this letter shows his importance to the league overall. He will be the main attraction over the course of the All Star weekend. Mario and I have had a special relationship for 10 seasons now. He has been a leader with our franchise for five seasons now. This is yet another accomplishment for the 34-year old veteran.

I am extremely proud to be able to give the 'C' to the player which will be the ultimate fan favourite this weekend. Hometown hero Bob Probert will suit up for our Campbell Conference dawning the captain's letter for the first time in his career. I felt this was appropriate as the City of Chicago is ready to celebrate and why not have their own player lead the charge. Let's go Campbell Conference All-Stars!

Wales Conference Starting Line Up
Centre	Left Wing	Right Wing	Defense	Goalie
Michel Goulet (NYI) - 17	John LeClair (PHI) - 10	Guy Chouinard (NYI) - 12	Larry Murphy (TOR) - 21	Don Edwards (WAS) - 19
Laurie Boschman (BUF) - 4	Brian Mullen (NYI) - 9	Cam Neely (PHI) - 11	Craig Hartsburg (NYI) - 12	Don Beaupre (HAR) - 4
Mario Lemieux (NYR) - 2	Pierre Larouche (TOR) - 4	Geoff Courtnall (WAS) - 1	James Patrick (PHI) - 10	Dominik Hasek (TOR) - 1
Glenn Anderson (TOR) - 1	Sean McKenna (BOS) - 1		Al MacInnis (NYR) - 1
			Paul Cavallini (BOS) - 1
			Ray Bourque (QUE) - 1
			Val James (MON) - 1
			Rod Langway (HAR) - 1

Campbell Conference Starting Line Up
Centre	Left Wing	Right Wing	Defense	Goalie
Wayne Gretzky (EDM) - 22	Steve Yzerman (COL) - 17	Jari Kurri (EDM) - 16	Paul Coffey (EDM) - 18	Denis Herron (COL) - 15
Peter Stastny (COL) - 2	Dale Hawerchuk (ANA) - 4	Rick Vaive (STL) - 5	Alexei Kasatonov (LAK) - 18	Tom Barasso (EDM) - 6
	Mario Tremblay (COL) - 3	Brett Hull (COL) - 3	Steve Konroyd (ANA) - 4	Allan Bester (WIN) - 3
			Don Sweeney (WIN) - 3
			Craig Muni (COL) - 3
			Paul Boutillier (EDM) - 1
			Doug Wilson (EDM) - 1