All Stars and Struggling Stars Headed To Minnesota

The starting lineups have been announced for the 2004 NHL All Star Game, with deserving Devils and not-so-deserving Stars dominating the field.

In the East, the defending champions from New Jersey are represented by three pillars of the franchise: goaltender Martin Brodeur and defensemen Scott Stevens and Scott Niedermayer.

Over in the Western Conference, they've obviously been stuffing ballot boxes in Texas. Despite a dismal first half of the 2003-04 season, three Dallas Stars hold down places in the starting lineup: goaltender Marty Turco, center Mike Modano and winger Bill Guerin. Guerin is the only one who could be said to deserve it. He has 18 goals.

The 2004 NHL All Star Game will be played Sunday, February 8, in St. Paul, Minnesota. Here are the starting lineups for each team, as voted by the fans. (And for those who feel inclined to whine about what dumb choices those nincompoop fans always make, save it for an issue that matters).

Eastern Conference
Goaltender: Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils
Defensemen: Scott Stevens, New Jersey Devils; Scott Niedermayer, New Jersey Devils
Center: Joe Thornton, Boston Bruins
Wings: Ilya Kovalchuk, Atlanta Thrashers; Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning

Western Conference
Goaltender: Marty Turco, Dallas Stars
Defensemen: Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings; Rob Blake, Colorado Avalanche
Center: Mike Modano, Dallas Stars
Wings: Bill Guerin, Dallas Stars, Todd Bertuzzi, Vancouver Canucks

Remaining players for each All Star roster will be selected by the NHL's Hockey Operations Department, in conjunction with League general managers. Complete lineups will be announced on January 22.