Martin St. Louis, once again, goes un-drafted. Yet unlike being spurred by 30 NHL clubs after his collegiate career, this time it’s an honor bestowed upon him. St. Louis was selected as an alternate captain for Nicklas Lidstrom’s team (along with Vancouver Canuck Ryan Kessler) for the upcoming All-Star game in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Marty has 58 points in 49 games this season (19 goals, 39 assists) which is fourth in the NHL this season.
I think St. Louis’ selection as an alternate captain is a no-brainer…. Though I’m surprised he is part of Nick Lidstrom’s team and not division-rival Eric Staal’s squad.
The rest of the All-Star rosters for Team Lidstrom and Team Staal will be worked out on January 28th in a fantasy draft, televised live in the US and Canada.
The press release and more information about the alternate captains for each team is below the jump.
Alternate Captains To Help Make Selections At The NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft Powered by Cisco Friday, Jan. 28, Live on TSN, RDS and VERSUS at 8 p.m. ET
The four Alternate Captains were selected by the NHL and the NHLPA, considering input provided by the NHL All-Stars. The Alternate Captains will help with the team selection process during the new NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft powered by Cisco on Jan. 28. These four All-Stars will help their Captains set their team rosters and lineups for the Honda NHL SuperSkills® on Jan. 29 and the 2011 NHL All-Star Game presented by Discover on Jan. 30.
Green, a two-time member of the NHL’s end-of-season NHL First All-Star Team and a two-time Norris Trophy runner-up, has led NHL defensemen in goals for three years in a row. He has also been tops among NHL defensemen in points for the past two seasons and is one of only two active defensemen with a 70-point season in his career – the other being Lidstrom, the opposing Captain. Green this season ranks fourth in ice time per game among NHL defensemen.
Kane, the first overall selection in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, was voted a starter in the 2009 NHL All-Star Game in Montreal, and was a Rookie participant at the 2008 NHL All-Star Game in Atlanta. After capturing the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie in 2008, Kane scored the Stanley Cup-clinching goal for the Blackhawks last season in overtime of Game 6 of the 2010 Stanley Cup Final. His 35 points (13 goals, 22 assists) in just 38 games played this season ranks only behind fellow NHL All-Stars Patrick Sharp (44) and Jonathan Toews (37) for tops on the Blackhawks.
Kesler, a first-time NHL All-Star from Livonia, Michigan, is in his seventh season in the NHL, all with the Canucks. A finalist for the Frank Selke Trophy for the best defensive forward last season, Kesler this year has increased his goal scoring (25), tying him for fourth in the NHL and just one goal of tying his career high set in 2008-09. He is in his third season as an Alternate Captain for the Canucks.
St. Louis has been a part of every NHL All-Star Game since 2003. The 2010 Lady Byng Trophy winner, St. Louis also won the Hart Trophy, Art Ross Trophy, Lester B. Pearson Award (now the Ted Lindsay Award) and the Stanley Cup in 2004. Now in his fourth season as an Alternate Captain for the Lightning, St. Louis is second in the NHL this season with 39 assists and fourth in the NHL with 58 points.
The Captain and Alternate Captains for Team Staal and Team Lidstrom intentionally consist of two forwards and one defenseman, ensuring each team enters the Fantasy Draft with identical rosters. Team Staal will wear the white Reebok NHL All-Star jerseys, helmets and socks, with red trim throughout and red gloves and pants. Team Lidstrom will wear the dark blue jerseys with royal blue trim, navy blue helmets, gloves and pants and navy blue socks.
