In this edition of the hotstove we share our thoughts on the biggest all-star game snubs.
Todd Cordell
I think it has to be Vladimir Tarasenko.
He is 10th in the league in goals, 14th in points, 1st in scoring chances, and is among the most dynamic and exciting players in the league yet he's somehow not one of 24 forwards chosen. Brayden Schenn is having a really nice year, no doubt, but he's not as deserving and certainly not as entertaining, which is what the All-Star Game is supposed to be about.
Who do you think kids or new fans would rather watch dart up and down the ice and trade chances: Tarasenko or Schenn? Seems like a no-brainer to me.
James Neal over Jonathan Marchessault is an awfully weird decision, too. The latter has 11 more points, 14 more chances, and 21 more shots despite playing in three fewer games.
Jared Crozier
Let's face it, this is a game you get to based on reputation more than merit, and for some reason the format seems restrictive when you are making 4 teams to play 3 on 3.
Add to the fact that you need representation from all 31 teams and there aren't many spaces left over for seconds for a lot of teams.
Every fan base is going to have a player you can make a case for as the biggest snub, and I have mine. Maybe it is because I see him on a nightly basis, but Mark Stone is a top 20 scorer who also excels defensively and is the straw that stirs the Senators' drink this season and if something good happens for them, Stone is usually in the middle of it.
But the biggest snub just based on stats is Jakob Voracek. Thirty six forwards were selected, and Voracek was not among them. Voracek has 51 points just past the midway point of the season and is in the top 10 in scoring, the highest scoring player not going to Tampa.
Adam French For me this one is pretty clear cut.
Ryan Getzlaf
Who does he replace? James Neal.
While only playing 19 games, Getzlaf has arguably been playing as well as any forward in the NHL. He has 24 points in those 19 and his 1.26PPG is third in the entire NHL behind Kucherov and MacKinnon (shockingly both All-Stars!). He's a dominant player in basically any metric you can think of, advanced stats, actual points and just watching him play.
James Neal has had a very good year and everybody loves the feel good Vegas squad, but he's not having a better year than Getzlaf. Getzlaf is only 5 points back from Neal and has played 22 less games. Heck, there are guys I'd take over him in the Pacific, like Sean Monahan. Heck, there are two guys on VEGAS I'd take over him in Marchessault or Karlsson.
So that's my biggest snub. I also think Schenn over Tarasenko is a bit of a snub and that Letang has no place on an All-Star team with the year he has had.
James Tanner Probably everyone will say Vladimir Tarasenko, and it's hard to disagree. He's a top five player in the NHL probably so to be honest, there is a pretty good case to be made that this is the biggest snub in the all-star history of any sport.
Tarasenko is a sure-fire hall of famer in the prime of his career, having one of, if not his best ever season. He has 19 goals and a 9.9% shooting percentage, which is low by league-leader standards. Tarasenko is 10th in total goals, but if you scan down the list, it's not until 37th overall (Evander Kane) that you find someone with as low a shooting percentage. There isn't another player under 10% again until #76 overall, Jeff Skinner/.
Tarasenko leads the NHL in shots.
Not that he plays with losers, but if you look at Kucherov's stats and note that he plays with Stamkos, you have to wonder what Tarasenko's numbers would look like if he had a Stamkos to play with.
To leave one of the games biggest stars off the All Star team is insane.
Morgan Rielly and Fred Andersen both deserve to be there also.
…‹…‹…‹…‹Recent posts