It’s time to get our guys into the starting lineup of the All Star Game.
It’s up to the fans to vote in the starting lineup, with the remainder of the players selected by the league. Once the pool of players is selected, there is a fantasy-style draft to determine the rosters.
The Jackets have a handful of players who are deserving of being there:
Top of the list is Nick Foligno, currently sitting tied for 19th in league scoring and leading the Jackets as well with 27 points in 28 games played. He’d be the perfect “host” to his fellow NHLers, and has the charisma to perform well with the increased media attention he’ll receive. If past history with this game is any indication, a member of the Jackets will be named captain of one of the two teams and Foligno would excel in the role.
Ryan Johansen is tied with Foligno with 27 points, and is considered to be the Jackets’ star forward. As of today’s numbers, Johansen is 39th in voting among NHL forwards, which is the most for the Jackets. This number needs to change! While Foligno has a good chance of being named to the team by the NHL, Johansen stands the best chance among forwards to get voted in by the fans. (Though he’ll almost undoubtedly be included by the NHL after the fan vote) There’s a long way to go, but a concerted effort by the fans-c all it the holiday push-can get Joey a guaranteed spot!
The player with the best chance of getting voted in, regardless of position, is Sergei Bobrovsky. Bob is currently ninth in goalie voting, and though it would take one hell of a voting effort by the fans to get him the lone goalie spot, it’s doable. Based on stats alone, there’s a good chance Bob may not be one of the six goalies named by the league, so a fan vote may be required to see Bob on home ice. That said, Bob has been on fire of late and in a month’s time he may be a shoe-in for a spot.
If the voting ended today, the starting roster would be goalie Corey Crawford defensemen Duncan Keith and P.K. Subban, and forwards Zemgus Girgensons, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. Girgensons has the voting power of all of Latvia behind him, while it would seem Chicago fans have been stuffing the ballot. This game is NOT in Chicago, let’s get our guys in there!
CBJ fans- this is a call to VOTE HERE for Foligno, Joey and Bob (not to mention one of your other favorite Jackets) to make sure they are guaranteed a spot in the All Star Game and Skills Competition.
The All Star Game will take place on January 25, 2015 in Nationwide Arena.