This year’s NHL All-Star Game is continuing the unique format that made quite a splash last year. For the second year, two team captains will get a chance to draft their own All-Star teams to play with in the NHL All-Star Fantasy Draft. Now Jackie and I thought this sounded like a good idea so we decided to do our own All-Star Game mock draft. We’d alternate picks until we both had 21 man rosters like the real thing.

So how did our mock draft play out? Our draft results after the jump.

The real All-Star Game has the captain named ahead of the draft with the captain selecting his two alternates outside of the draft rules. Since Jackie and I were the general managers of our teams, we selected the captains and alternates in the draft. Therefore, we had to modify our mock draft rules a bit to these:

• Captain selected in the 1st round
• Alternates selected in 2nd and 3rd round
• One of the three captain and alternates must be a defenseman
• Three goalies must be selected by round 13 (Round 10 in real life)
• Six defencemen must be drafted by round 18 (Round 15 in real life)
• 21 rounds in total
• Injury replacements will be allocated based on the NHL announcement replacement of players

Now that all the legalities and explanations are out of the way, let’s get on with the show.

Round 1

Team Jackie – Steven Stamkos, C, TBL
He might not be on the top of the points list, but he’s damn close. It certainly helps that this kid can score (he is leading in goals at this point). Stamkos might not be wearing the C at the moment with the Lightning, but someday he’ll get there. In the meantime, why not give him an opportunity to lead a bunch of all-stars?

Team Steve – Erik Karlsson, D, OTT
The game’s in Ottawa and I need a blueliner as one of my three captains. Why not get the home crowd on my side by taking a Sen? The fact that E-Karl has the hottest stick of any d-man in the league makes him perfect for the offense-first All-Star Game. Like Stammer, he’s a bit young but if he ever gets to a bigger market, he actually will be a star in the league for years to come.

Round 2

Team Jackie – Claude Giroux, RW, PHI
I never liked the Senators so I don’t feel the need to suck up to the crowd. Might as well just load up on the forwards and pick the D later. I’m sure you know by now that I value offence over defence. That being said, I would have loved to pick up Karlsson, so Steve beat me to it. Anyway, with Richards and Carter out of Philly, Giroux has emerged as the star of the team and has been racking up the points until that brief injury stint. Now that he’s back, I expect more offensive explosion from him.

Team Steve – Henrik Sedin, C, VAN
So Jackie responds to me taking a guy high on his draft board by taking a guy high on my draft board. So I’m just going to take the league’s top scorer and probably the best setup man in the game right now in Hank Sedin. Since there’s no physical contact in the ASG, I think this’ll be a safe pick. But taking a Canuck has pissed away any goodwill from picking Karlsson.

Round 3

Team Jackie – Brian Campbell, D, FLA
I want a puck moving defenceman, so I’ll go with Brian Campbell. After moving to the Sunshine State, he’s had a bit of a resurgence on the scoreboard. Not as high scoring as Karlsson, but good enough.

Team Steve – Marian Hossa, RW, CHI
Well, if I didn’t troll the home fans with the last pick, I did it here. Hossa is one of two Project Mayhem players to make the ASG. As far as fan campaigns go, Project Mayhem was pretty much a total failure. Anyway, Hossa is top 10 in scoring this year and the best player on an inexplicably good Blackhawks squad. That and Hossa was sent packing unlike his replacement, Dany Heatley, who demanded a trip out of town. So maybe the Ottawa fans won’t mind him coming back.

Round 4

Team Jackie – Jonathan Toews, C, CHI
Well just like last year, I pick up Toews in the 4th round. Again, he’s not the most explosive forward out there, but he does bring great leadership. He’s not too far off from Marian Hossa at the moment and is going at an almost point per game rate this season. The man has found his scoring touch in a surprisingly good Chicago squad this year.

Team Steve – Daniel Sedin, LW, VAN
One good pick, one bad pick. One good pick, another bad pick. So if I keep with this pattern, I’ll be taking a Leaf in Round 6. Anyway, taking Danny Sedin here was the logical choice. He’s the highest remaining scorer on the board and can be paired up with brother Henrik for instant chemistry. A win for a Karlsson captained team and all my questionable picks will be forgiven by the home fans.

Round 5

Team Jackie – Evgeni Malkin, C, PIT
I know Steve likes Geno, so if I steal this off him, might get him a bit flustered for the next few rounds. Anyway, with Sid the Kid out of the lineup, Malkin really took the chance to shine. The Penguins can do just fine without Crosby as long as they got Malkin and their usual secondary scoring. It’s probably worth pointing out that Malkin has the highest point per game average among the current list of all-stars.

Team Steve – Jason Spezza, C, OTT
Two can play that game, Jackie. You take my boy (fuck you) Geno then I’ll take your boy, former Mississauga Ice Dog, Jason Spezza. I know the Sens are loaded with All-Stars (after all, four got voted into the game) but Spezza and Karlsson are the starriest of All-Stars on that team. And I have both! By the way, Spezza is top ten in scoring and the top scoring Sen. Even if he tends to be a drama queen, he’s a hell of a player when inspired to be.

Round 6

Team Jackie – Joffrey Lupul, RW, TOR
Funny enough, Jason Spezza was not on my list at all… mostly because of his tendency to be a drama queen. I don’t want that on my all-star team. Anyway, I picked up the dude just in front of Spezza on the scoring sheet. It’s Joffrey Lupul. Apparently he’s one of the biggest ‘surprises’ of this year. I figured he always had the potential to be a good top 6 forward, but was never given the opportunity as a Duck. Now that he’s play top minutes in Toronto, he’s lighting up the scoreboard. Plus, I’m sure he’ll make a few fun tweets during game night. That’s always a bonus.

Team Steve – Phil Kessel, RW, TOR
I told you that I was taking a Leaf in this round. Except Jackie forgot my lesson from last year’s draft: Setup men don’t do as well as finishers in the All-Star Game and our blog poll about our All-Star mock draft. Therefore, Kessel was higher on my board than Lupul. Mind you, it wasn’t like Lupes wasn’t on my board. Kessel’s cooled off since his hot start to the season but he’s definitely established himself as a top forward this season.

Round 7

Team Jackie – Marion Gaborik, RW, NYR
Darn, Steve took away half the combo I wanted. Kessel and Lupul have been doing great for the Leafs and even without a proper centre. Well, since we’re onto the topic of finishers, I’ll take on Marion Gaborik. He’s only one goal off from Kessel at the moment and while Kessel is now starting to cool off, Gaborik is starting to find his groove this season.

Team Steve – Tim Thomas, G, BOS
I told you guys I was taking a Leaf in round six. He could’ve set it up in round five but he had to wait. Anyway, I’ll take the first goalie of the draft. Our rules say all three must be picked by the end of Round 13 so I’ll scoop the best one now. No one is more lights out in the All-Star Game than Timmy Thomas. After that off season in 2009-10, he’s come back as that Vezina Trophy goalie we loved in 2008-09.

Round 8

Team Jackie – Zdeno Chara, D, BOS
There’s nothing more scary than a giant defenceman that eats babies. Nuff said.

Team Steve – Shea Weber, D, NSH
Let’s go big man for big man in this round. You take Chara and I’ll take Weber. Two men with cannons for shots. The difference is that Weber is able to do more with less in Nashville. He’ll definitely have freedom to do what he wants at the ASG rather than play D for Trotz.

Round 9

Team Jackie – Jimmy Howard, G, DET
Well perhaps it’s about time that I pick up a goaltender, so I’m gonna steal Steve’s boy Jimmy Howard. He’s currently leading the league in wins, though it’s mostly due to the fact that he’s the main staple behind the net in Detroit. Without him, the Wings may be on shaky ground in the goaltending department. Howard is still having a stellar year in the current season as he ranks 6th in GAA and 9th in save percentage. Not exactly the top among the goaltenders at the ASG, but he’s certainly reliable.

Team Steve – Pavel Datsyuk, C, DET
Okay, now Jackie’s playing dirty. He better think about scooping Perry right now before I grab him. Anyway, Jackie has sort of forced my hand with this one by grabbing one of my two boys from Detroit. Not that I particularly mind having to make a defensive move to grab Pavel. He’s only the best all-around player in the league right now. It’s not like I’m getting a filler player from a team like Carey Price.

Round 10

Team Jackie – Corey Perry, RW, ANA
As a matter of fact, I will pick up Perry now. Had Steve chosen Perry in the previous round, I would have snatched up Datsyuk now. Anyway, Perry is having a bit of an off year, but the former MVP is still producing in a rather offensively anaemic Ducks team. Not only can Perry light up the scoreboard, he can also add some grit to the team. It all sounds good on paper, but sadly, since when were All-Star Games ever competitive enough to get players to put in effort into the game anyway?

Team Steve – Henrik Lundqvist, G, NYR
You can make an argument as to who the best starter in the league is right now. You wouldn’t be wrong to say Tim Thomas. But you also wouldn’t be wrong to say King Henrik who makes a perpetual case for the Vezina Trophy. He’s got better GAA and save percentage and all but one player (backup Tuukka Rask). I suppose it never hurts building a team that can both put the biscuit in the basket and keep it out. That and I’ve got one goalie left to pick and two viable options left to choose from.

Round 11

Team Jackie – Jonathan Quick, G, LAK
While I’m on the trend of picking up American goaltenders, might as well get Jonathan Quick. While the Kings aren’t doing as well as most are expecting them to, Quick is still holding the fort down so that the team still has a fighting chance in the playoffs. He is currently leading the league in shutouts and ranks among the top 5 in GAA and save percentage.

Team Steve – Brian Elliott, G, STL
I’ll take care of my last goalie now rather than risk getting left with Carey Price. So it’s ex-Sen Brian Elliott for me. This wasn’t just an exercise in trolling though. Elliott is one of the best netminders in the game right now. It was supposed to be Jaro Halak’s team but Elliott has taken the reigns. It’s just a matter if he can stay sharp in the ASG and not let giving up 5 goals in a period affect him on the stretch run to the playoffs.

Round 12

Team Jackie – Alexander Edler, D, VAN
Funny, I think the same thing happened with the goaltending situation last year. I was stuck with Carey Price and Steve got his hands on Thomas and Lundqvist. That worked out awfully well. Though I was hoping to get Brian Elliot. I still regret dropping him from my pool since I expected him to suck like last year. Anyway, since we all know who my last goaltender is, I’ll snatch up another D-man. With Ehrhoff gone from the Canucks, Edler has stepped to be the new scoring leader among the defencemen on the team. Not only that, he’s already on track to outpace his production from the previous season.

Team Steve – Dennis Wideman, D, WSH
Who thought that the first Cap we’d pick would be a blueliner. With that Green guy vanishing off the face of the earth, the new puck-moving defenseman in Washington is Wideman. He’s also got the second highest goal scorer among All-Star d-men and fifth in points. Sure plus/minus is a concern but who plays defense in an All-Star Game?

Round 13

Team Jackie – Carey Price, G, MON
Didn’t have much of a choice now did I? Well no one plays goaltending in an all-star game anyway. Each goalie is bound to let in 3-4 goals per period so it won’t make much of a difference.

Team Steve – Dion Phaneuf, D, TOR
They see me trolling. They hating. They know that I be drafting dirty. See, I can be Nelly… Anyway, I wanted Chara so I could continue my collection of ex-Sens as part of a Project Mayhem team. Then I remembered that Jackie took Chara about six rounds ago. Instead, I have a Leaf. One that is one of the top scoring blueliners in the league and also has a cannon of a shot. If so inclined, he’d also be the biggest physical presence in the game. But it’s an All-Star Game so we’ll have to settle for him ripping a couple from the point.

Round 14

Team Jackie – Ryan Suter, D, NSH
Well since Steve picked up Shea Weber a few rounds earlier, I figured I should snatch the other half of the successful defensive duo in Nashville. If Weber ever leaves the Predators, the next guy to step up to his spot would be Suter. While Suter’s numbers haven’t quite matched those of Weber’s, at least he’s remained fairly consistent over the years.

Team Steve – John Tavares, C, NYI
Since Jackie has Stamkos, I’ll take Johnny T. A little youth never hurt a team and since Jordan Eberle was passed over for the game (that’s what happens when Michalek is voted in), Tavares makes a good alternative. Sure, he doesn’t have Moulson to dish to but he’s definitely going to find someone here to set up. Unless he decides to show off his finishing touch.

Round 15

Team Jackie – Jamie Benn, LW, DAL
Darn, I would have loved to pick up Johnny T by now… (‘Sauga represent!). While we’re on the topic of adding some youth, might as well throw in Benn here. After two straight seasons of 20+ goal campaigns, Benn is currently on track to make that a third year in a row. It doesn’t hurt to have a few snipers on the team!

Team Steve – Patrick Kane, RW, CHI
Did somebody say sniper? Nobody in the NHL snipes better on and off the ice than our boy 20 Cent Kane. Sure, he’s having an off year by his standards but few guys can deke and finish as well as 20 Cent. That and no one can deny the NHL star with the most tabloid/Deadspin appeal is Kane.

Round 16

Team Jackie – Keith Yandle, D, PHX
Ok, so his +/- could use a little work, but at least he’s still a fairly reliable defenceman. He’s currently ranked within the top 10 for points produced by defencemen but he is trailing the production he had last season. That being said, I needed to fill up my defence before Steve does and there’s still plenty of forwards to choose from.

Team Steve – Jason Pominville, RW, BUF
I’ve got some finishers but could really use a good setup man. And look who falls into my lap in the late rounds. The Pominville-ian One is top ten in assists and scoring at a point per game pace. Because he’s in Buffalo, he’ll be the biggest surprise in the scoring stats because you’ll have had no idea how he got there. That and I’m happy with whichever blueliners are left for me in the next two rounds.

Round 17

Team Jackie – Tyler Seguin, C, BOS
Since I like youth, I’ll pick up the Tyler “could have been a Leaf” Seguin. He’s having quite the sophomore season as he’s producing at an almost point per game rate. On top of that he’s holding onto an impressive +34. Sure the injury to Krejci earlier in the season helped boost his status a bit as he was slotted onto the top line, but now that Seguin has grabbed hold of it, he’s not showing signs of wanting to let go.

Team Steve – Kimmo Timonen, D, PHI
Gee, I troll Sens fans. Jackie trolls the Leafs fans. Based on the fan voting for the ASG, I expect an ugly comment section. Anyway, I need two blueliners in the next two rounds so I had to pick from one of the three left. I wouldn’t be unhappy with any of them. Timonen is the best setup man of all of them so I took him here. That and everyone loves the Flyers. No, wait-

Round 18

Team Jackie – Dustin Byfuglien, D, WPG
I’ve always liked Big Buff. He’s a versatile guy who can swap between being a forward or defenceman. Though I’m sure his comfort zone is behind the blueline. He’s having a bit of an off year, but that does not mean he’s not a solid D-man. Yes, the +/- could use a bit of work this season and his numbers are down, which would explain why he’s down from being my former 3rd pick to 18th. Still, I believe he does have an offensive upside compared to Dan G, so I’ll snatch him up and let Steve take the Ranger.

Team Steve – Dan Girardi, D, NYR
Like I said, I wouldn’t be unhappy with either Buff or Danny G. Girardi isn’t as big a scorer as Buff but he doesn’t have those weight problems (there’s a reason they call him BIG Buff). Girardi is what people like to call a glue guy. He might not make the highlight reels but he’s the type of player that makes a team better with his presence. I know the team would be worse off without a character guy like Dan G. I’m starting to sound like Pierre McGuire. I’m saying stuff without actually being insightful… MONSTER!!!

Round 19

Team Jackie – Logan Couture, C, SJS
I’ll continue with my youth movement and pick up Logan Couture. The former 32 goal scorer is still doing well for the Sharks this season. With less than half a season to go, the 30 goal benchmark is still attainable this season. Not bad for someone that’s slotted as the third line centre of a team. The first round pick of the Sharks back in 2007 is certainly living up to his potential at this time.

Team Steve – Jarome Iginla, RW, CGY
Jackie goes with youth, I went with experience. And heroics. After all, did Crosby yell “Logie!” to call for that pass in Vancouver? No, he yelled “Iggy!” loud enough for the TV cameras to pick up over the crowd. The man is a legend and you’d definitely want a key cog to two Canadian gold medal teams on your squad in the nation’s capital.

Round 20

Team Jackie – Alex Ovechkin, RW, WSH
Oh how the mighty have fallen. Normally he would be a top pick… in fact, I picked him 2nd last year. Ovechkin had an off year last year and he has fallen even further off track this season. Does that mean he’s not a star? No. He’s still a skilled hockey player and once he finds his groove again, the Ovi we all know would be back. Now, Ovechkin has always been the fun guy at the all-star games. He has a tendency to show off and goof around a bit more. At least it makes him a bit more adventurous during the game, so perhaps a fancy goal or two can be expected outta him. Sorry Kessel, you’re gonna have to save that camera for another year.

Team Steve – Mikko Koivu, C, MIN
Koivu is out with a shoulder injury and will miss the game. Rumour has it that Dany Heatley will substitute as the injury replacement. Because of our injury replacement draft rules, I can’t quite call dibs on another member of Project Mayhem yet. However, if Jamie Benn is willing to play sans appendix, I’ll get the only injury replacement which does put me in line for Heater. Basically, I preferred to get a player to be named later to one of the remaining Sens. I wonder if Ovi would take a pic of Michalek if he was drafted in the second-to-last round.

Round 21

Team Jackie – Milan Michalek, LW, OTT
Darn, I was hoping to get away with not having to select a single Senator, but I was stuck between Michalek and Alfredsson. Since I’m going with the youth movement, I’ll take up sniper Michalek. So his past two seasons as a Sen have been somewhat lackluster compared to his days in San Jose, but at least his career is back on the upswing this season. Though he is still nowhere near the numbers he has produced in the past, at least it’s headed back in the right direction. Alfredsson is running on fumes at the moment and it’s only a matter of time before he decides to hang up the skates for good.

Team Steve – Daniel Alfredsson, RW, OTT
Damn. I was hoping Jackie would forget that Michalek had some good seasons in the past and I would get another finisher on the wing. Anyway, solely through process of elimination, the forward with the most votes and the real-life captain of one of the All-Star teams falls to last. And now the battle of Ontario evens up. Both teams have players picked last in All-Star Game drafts. Well, we’ll just have to make this work somehow.

Replacements

Team Jackie
Out: Jonathan Toews, C, CHI
In: Scott Hartnell, LW, PHI

Team Jackie
Out: Dustin Byfuglien, D, WPG
In: Kris Letang, D, PIT

Team Jackie
Out: Alex Ovechkin, LW, WSH
In: James Neal, LW, PIT

Team Steve
Out: Mikko Koivu, C, MIN
In: Jordan Eberle, RW, EDM

Team Jackie Roster

1. Steven Stamkos (TBL)
2. Claude Giroux (PHI)
3. Brian Campbell (FLA)
4. Jonathan Toews (CHI)
5. Evgeni Malkin (PIT)
6. Joffrey Lupul (TOR)
7. Marian Gaborik (NYR)
8. Zdeno Chara (BOS)
9. Jimmy Howard (DET)
10. Corey Perry (ANA)
11. Jonathan Quick (LAK)
12. Alex Edler (VAN)
13. Carey Price (MON)
14. Ryan Suter (NSH)
15. Jamie Benn (DAL)
16. Keith Yandle (PHX)
17. Tyler Seguin (BOS)
18. Dustin Byfuglien (WPG)
19. Logan Couture (SJS)
20. Alex Ovechkin (WSH)
21. Milan Michalek (OTT)
22. Scott Hartnell (PHI)
23. Kris Letang (PIT)
24. James Neal (PIT)

Team Jackie Stats

Forwards: 271 G, 268 A, 539 P, +90
Defensemen: 33 G, 143 A, 176 P, +36
Goalies: 2.10 GAA, 0.925 Sv%, 13 SO

Team Steve Roster

1. Erik Karlsson (OTT)
2. Henrik Sedin (VAN)
3. Marian Hossa (CHI)
4. Daniel Sedin (VAN)
5. Jason Spezza (OTT)
6. Phil Kessel (TOR)
7. Tim Thomas (BOS)
8. Shea Weber (NSH)
9. Pavel Datsyuk (DET)
10. Henrik Lundqvist (NYR)
11. Brian Elliott (STL)
12. Dennis Wideman (WSH)
13. Dion Phaneuf (TOR)
14. John Tavares (NYI)
15. Patrick Kane (CHI)
16. Jason Pominville (BUF)
17. Kimmo Timonen (PHI)
18. Dan Girardi (NYR)
19. Jarome Iginla (CGY)
20. Mikko Koivu (MIN)
21. Daniel Alfredsson (OTT)
22. Jordan Eberle (EDM)

Team Steve Stats

Forwards: 213 G, 356 A, 569 P, +77
Defensemen: 39 G, 152 A, 191 P, +43
Goalies: 1.91 GAA, 0.936 Sv%, 14 SO

Here’s the poll. Which All-Star team would win in the battle between Team Jackie and Team Steve?

* Stats as of games completed on January 24, 2012.