NHL / Richard Douglas / 22 January 2009 / Leave a comment

Leaving the team selections to the fans has resulted in plenty of Canadians making the line-ups for Sunday's All-Star Game in Montreal. Richard Douglas explains all...

It would be wrong to describe the All-Star Game as the Community Shield of the NHL.

It is played in the middle of their marathon campaign on the ice and features the best players in North America not the best teams. However in one respect they are quite similar - few really care less about the result.

Your average hockey-head judges their enjoyment by the amount of Perspex pummelled by the players. They can't abide the lack of intensity, competitive edge and, frankly, a half-decent punch-up on show in this showpiece match-up.

So when punting on this annual battle of East ([1.9]) v West ([1.9]) you must search for the motivation of each team.

Realistically that must lie with the former. Sunday's game is being held at the Bell Centre in Montreal. The home team - The Canadiens - are celebrating their centenary this year and that was obvious in the fans' votes for the starting line-up.

Yes, that is right. Between November 12 and January 2, supporters were invited to participate in an online poll for the team to take to the ice. As a result, you have ended up with the two top goalscorers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, both from the Pittsburgh Penguins, voted in plus four Canadiens. The lowest polling player in the East received 1,343,301 online clicks, the highest in the West got 917,551. Of course, there will be substitutions every 90 seconds or so but, in reality, this is very much a home game for the East.

Malkin is the NHL's top scorer with 70 goals, Crosby is second-placed with 60. Crucially, the latter was passed fit on Monday despite sitting out the last Penguins' rubber against Anaheim.

Despite that, recent history would suggest the regular time goals tally will stay under 16.5, which at the time of writing was a frankly silly [1.05]. Over 16.5 goals was available at the same unbackable price. Assuming those prices move towards reality, the statistics call for caution here. This figure has only been exceeded twice in the nine games since 1998.

The democracy of a voting system has not entirely worked in the East's favour. The Canadiens' Carey Price got the nod in goal when he is down in ninth place in the save percent averages at 0.921. It says a lot about Tim Thomas, the leader with 0.934, that he made the bench despite being omitted from the voting list. Another major omission from the starting line-up is Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals. The Russian is third in the scoring charts and one of the outstanding performers in the competition this season. He is on the bench.

The West is not exempt from favouritism in the voting. Their starting six are also drawn from two clubs - three each from the Anaheim Ducks and the Chicago Blackhawks.

Despite the presence those Montreal players on the East side, in fact 14 out of the West's 22-man squad hail from Canada. In starters Brian Campbell and Scott Niedermayer and reserves Sheldon Souray, Dan Boyle and Shea Weber, you have the heart of that country's squad for the Winter Olympics next year. It seems that if the West are going to triumph it will be a tight game while the East will come through in an open encounter. Perhaps this brings into the picture the possibility of West +1.5 goals, though only if it gets a little more enticing than [1.3].

Next year's Vancouver Olympics will take precedence in 2010 so the All-Star encounter will not be staged again until 2011. Along with the Winter Classic, this game is considered a welcome distraction in a grinding season and has therefore been scheduled for the first weekend free of American football since the third quarter of 2008.

Despite its sideshow status the mood is upbeat about the game this year. Overall NHL is on the rise. Last season's Stanley Cup between the Redwings and the Penguins was watched by its highest television audience for six years while the Winter Classic at New Year saw a 12 per cent rise in viewers.

The All-Stars game is the highlight of a fun weekend. There is also a skills competition and a Young Stars game for up-and-coming talent.

Proceeds from the event goes to the players' pension fund. But you won't have to be so selfless with your winnings of course.