January 18th, 2011
– Rosters are based on the players in the real NHL All-Star Game. – Coaches were selected based on season standings (top two teams in each conference). – Coaches have until next Monday, January 24th, to submit their lineups to the league commissioner. – TEAM LINEUPS: All-Star Coaches must select 9 Forwards (any positions), 4 Defensemen, 1 Utility, and 2 Goalies – SKILLS COMPETITION: All players will play (no selections necessary) Remember last year’s AFHL All-Star Game? Click HERE to take a little walk down memory lane. |
January 31th, 2011
This AFHL All-Star game ended much like last year did – with the American Conference getting the victory, and a player from Deer Park skating off with the biggest prize.
“I hope I have some luck left for the rest of the season because I think I used a lot of it today,” said Chiefs’ forward Anze Kopitar, who scored two goals in the game and finished with a +2 rating. “I went out there, just tried to have fun and do my best.”
“I think (Kopitar) has proven that he’s one of those guys, that he’s one of those stars,” said Chiefs’ goalie Henrik Lundqvist, who won the MVP in last year’s game. “He’s slowly worked hard to become one of those household names, and it’s not easy for a guy like that. But he’s doing it, for sure. I’m sure you look at the list of players in this game, and you’re going to see quite a lineup, so it’s pretty cool for him to win that award.”
There certainly was no shortage of MVP candidates in a game that had a combined 21 goals and turned out to be the kind of offensive showcase that was expected.
Canadian Conference forward Patrick Sharp had a goal and two assists, while Loui Eriksson of the American Conference had four points including the empty net goal at the end of the game. But it was Kopitar’s +2 rating that was enough to win the plus/minus stat category for the American Conference.
Here’s a look at who stood out the most for each team during Sunday’s AFHL All-Star Game:
Canadian Conference All-Star Team
– Eric Staal (Heroes). The star forward really wanted to put on a show for the hometown crowd and he delivered by scoring a nice breakaway goal early in the third period. He added a second goal in the final minute and was left thinking about a few other good chances he failed to convert. Staal finished the night with eight shots, the most by any player.
– Patrick Sharp (Leafs). He looked a little more motivated than some of the others. Sharp had two assists in the opening period before adding a goal in the middle frame, and would have gotten the MVP award if the Canadian Conference won.
– Alex Ovechkin (Warriors) He opened the scoring in the first minute of the game and was all over the ice every time he stepped over the boards. Ovechkin was the best showman — jumping into the glass after missing a scoring chance, throwing his stick to give Vipers forward Matt Duchene a penalty shot — and entertainment is what the all-star game needs most.
– Nicklas Lidstrom (Red Wings). The future Hall of Famer was an amazing plus-7, an almost unthinkable accomplishment in a game that featured so many goals. He was also a classy captain and great ambassador throughout the entire weekend.
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American Conference All-Star Team
– Loui Eriksson (Phantoms). His empty-net goal gave him a four-point night, tying him with Shea Weber for the highest total. He’s one of the most underrated players in the league and the guess here is that he won’t remain that way for long.
– Tim Thomas (Power). It’s not a game for the goalies, but he performed very well in his one period of work. The Washington Power goaltender stared down a couple shooters on breakaways and finished with 11 saves on 14 shots.
– Anze Kopitar (Chiefs). Of the 21 goals scored during the all-star game, none was nicer than the deke move he made to score the first goal on Cam Ward. The Deer Park Chiefs star added another goal later on for good measure and with a +2 rating was named MVP of the game.
– Kris Letang (Power). The young defenceman is having a great season and he showed off his skills on Sunday. Letang scored twice and looked very comfortable in the offence-heavy affair.
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When Ray Irwin of the Washington Power and Barry Hickey of the St. John’s Red Wings were picked to be the Head Coaches of the all-star teams for the game this year, their tasks were both tricky and seemingly simple. After all having to choose from a host of elite-level players isn’t really that hard to do. Picking the right combo to get his side a win is a bit more difficult though.
For Irwin, he’s happy to have led the American Conference to a 7-1 win over Canadian Conference and he had fun doing it. “There was no pressure really, it was more fun than anything. It’s an honor to be selected as head coach of an AFHL All-Star team. I think we all just had fun with it.” Irwin said.
The American Conference has now won the first two annual AFHL All-Star Games and will seek to remain undefeated after the next one… 🙂
2011 AFHL All-Star Game Box Score
| Team | G | A | P | +/- | PPP | SHP | GWG | W | GAA | SV | SV% | SHO | Score |
| American Conference | 11 | 13 | 24 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3.00 | 22 | .758 | 0 | 7 |
| Canadian Conference | 8 | 14 | 22 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.00 | 20 | .714 | 0 | 1 |
American Conference wins!!
Article with recap to be posted tomorrow (Monday)
—————————————————————————————–
American Conference All-Star Player Stats
| Pos | Player Name / (AFHL Team Name) | G | A | P | +/- | PPP | SHP | GWG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | Martin St. Louis (Stars) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| F | Anze Kopitar (Chiefs) | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| F |
Brad Richards (Supermen)
|
0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| F |
Steven Stamkos (Wolves)
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| F |
Paul Stastny (Phantoms)
|
1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| F |
Loui Eriksson (Phantoms)
|
2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| F |
Claude Giroux (Supermen)
|
1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| F |
Corey Perry (Rebels)
|
0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| F |
Martin Havlat (Wolves)
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D |
Dan Boyle (Power)
|
0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D |
Mike Green (Power)
|
0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D |
Kris Letang (Power)
|
2 | 0 | 2 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D |
Tobias Enstrom (Giants)
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Util |
Patrik Elias (Supermen)
|
1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
Pos
|
Goaltenders
|
W | GAA | SV | SV% | SHO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G |
Henrik Lundqvist (Chiefs)
|
0 | 3.00 | 11 | .786 | 0 |
| G |
Tim Thomas (Power)
|
1 | 3.00 | 11 | .733 | 0 |
—————————————————————————————–
Canadian Conference All-Star Player Stats
| Pos | Player Name / (AFHL Team) | G | A | P | +/- | PPP | SHP | GWG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | Rick Nash (Mustangs) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| F | Alex Ovechkin (Warriors) | 1 | 1 | 2 | -2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| F |
Daniel Sedin (Heroes)
|
0 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| F | Henrik Sedin (Heroes) | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| F | Patrick Sharp (Leafs) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| F | Matt Duchene (Vipers) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| F |
Ryan Kesler (Warriors)
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| F |
Eric Staal (Heroes)
|
2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| F |
Jonathan Toews (Warriors)
|
1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D |
Dustin Byfuglien (Hitmen)
|
1 | 0 | 1 | -3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D |
Duncan Keith (Red Wings)
|
0 | 1 | 1 | -3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D |
Nicklas Lidstrom (Red Wings)
|
0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D |
Zdeno Chara (Leafs)
|
0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Util |
Patrick Kane (Vipers)
|
0 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
Pos
|
Goaltenders
|
W | GAA | SV | SV% | SHO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G |
Marc-Andre Fleury (Red Wings)
|
0 | 4.00 | 10 | .714 | 0 |
| G |
Cam Ward (Leafs)
|
0 | 4.00 | 10 | .714 | 0 |
Note: Stats associated with players in the 2011 AFHL All-Star Game are based on the stats from the NHL All-Star Game.
February 21, 2011
As we wind toward the AFHL Trade Deadline on March 3rd, teams are usually sorted into two neat categories…
Buyers: Contenders looking to shore up for the stretch run.
Sellers: Teams looking to shed veterans to get younger – and presumably better – for the future.
Why, you might ask, does everybody wait until the final minute to get their deals done, even when they’re solving needs that in many cases have been evident for months? Couldn’t they have done this stuff back in December?
In a lot of cases, it’s all about the art of the deal. Nobody wants to show their cards too soon, especially regarding offers for big game players such as Jarome Iginla or Jason Spezza. That only gives another team an opportunity to put together a better hand, while knowing exactly what they have to beat. It’s a little like playing blackjack with the dealer hitting first.
So despite the best intentions to get deals done earlier, a lot of teams won’t come with their best offer until just a few hours before the deadline. That way, the other side can’t shop it around to see if it can do better. That, for instance, is why a team like the Washington Power have yet to make their best offer for Jarome Iginla even though a player of his caliber is clearly the missing link in their quest for the AFHL Stanley Cup.
Nonetheless, these machinations are constrained by next Thursday’s March 3rd deadline, which is why everybody will be getting down to brass tacks very shortly. This year presents a potential bonanza, as several big names have been put into play recently. With that in mind, here’s a look at the ten players most likely to have a new team by the close of business next Thursday:
JAROME IGINLA and/or MARTIN ST. LOUIS (HOLLYWOOD STARS):
Obviously the two names most prominent on the tips of most GMs’ tongues, as the Hollywood Stars are rumored to be preparing for a major rebuild. The Washington Power and St. John’s Red Wings reportedly are in play for one of Iginla or St. Louis, and it’s doubtful those aren’t the only calls GM Mike Basset will receive about his superstar forwards.
SHANE DOAN (OSHAWA CITY LEAFS):
Rumor has it that the power forward has asked for a trade and Oshawa City plans to accommodate him, but this won’t be a fire sale. Oshawa City might be able to get just as much value in the off-season and GM Earl McNeill wants to make sure he gets a young star in return. That makes St. John’s the most logical trading partner – the Wings can offer a rising stud like Jordan Eberle and/or a 2012 1st round draft pick in exchange for Doan.
However, the more interesting possibility is if the Fort Drum Killers could get involved. This would be doable for GM Steve Stryska because they still have their 2011 first round draft pick and blue chip prospect Beau Bennett developing on their farm. The Killers could also look to other players on the block but a guy like Doan would give the Killers a completely different offensive dimension.
JASON SPEZZA (GOLDSBORO REBELS):
His tenure in Goldsboro seems to be coming to an end, and one has to think the Rebels wants to trade their underachieving star forward. The Rebels are going to miss the playoffs this year so GM Rich Mauch would be silly not to pursue something to get value for him now. The talented sniper could be a missing piece to some team’s championship aspirations. He’s also been mentioned in conjunction with the North Bay Warriors, although GM Mauch will be looking to obtain some young talent and high draft picks in exchange for Spezza and North Bay has already traded most of that away.
PATRIK ELIAS (MANHATTAN SUPERMEN):
Elias, who can play both LW and C, is quietly putting up points on a consistent basis, but it hasn’t done the Supermen any good. At age 34, Elias is still getting the job done, and a number of contending teams are in search of help on left wing. The most likely destination may be London, where health struggles on the left side of offense may force GM Blake Wilson to pull the trigger on a deal. Elias’ play on both the PP and PK would be a perfect antidote to all the attention Ryan Getzlaf and Rick Nash command.
RAY WHITNEY, MILAN HEJDUK, and/or MARK RECCHI (LOS BANOS WOLVES):
Wolves GM Andrew Fiorentino recently made an announcement about being a seller at the deadline, which came as somewhat of a shock after trading away his prospects and draft picks to acquire the veterans. Obviously, this isn’t very conducive to team morale, but Los Banos needs to tread carefully. It could wind up being a brilliant plan if Fiorentino can get more promising youth that most conteding teams will be ready to offer their best at the deadline. Somehow, Fiorentino needs to parlay at least two of the veterans into a talented young winger who can play alongside franchise cornerstone Steven Stamkos. The most likely to go is certainly Mark Recchi, who may retire at the end of this season.
BRIAN GIONTA (BOSTON GIANTS):
The subject of rumors since Boston GM Mike Phelan began his rebuild a few weeks ago, the sticking point here is that Gionta is more affordable than the other RWs such as Iginla, St. Louis, and Doan. Nobody expects him to be an offensive catalyst, but it’s not clear which teams are desperate enough for a right winger to make a winning offer.
SERGEI GONCHAR (BUFFALO PHANTOMS):
His deteriorating relationship with GM Daryn Beckman, not to mention his own request for a trade, has Gonchar’s name on the tip of many tongues around the league. He is a powerplay quarterback and can put up points on any given night, but the Phantoms want value in return and his sub-par season has put off some suitors.
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Check back again next Monday as we will have complete coverage of the 2011 AFHL Trade Deadline throughout the entire week.