The 2009 Eastern Conference NHL All Star team has been released and the amount of stars on the team is unbelievable. The 2009 NHL All Star Game will be played at the Bell Centre in Montreal on January 25th. There are a number of All Star veterans on the Eastern Conference All Star Roster, including Ovechkin, Heatley and Crosby. The first timers on the 2009 Eastern Conference All Star roster include, Henrik Lundqvist, Mark Streit and Jeff Carter. Here is the entire 2009 Eastern Conference All Star Roster. Also, NHL.com is having a sale on all jerseys and apparel, including NHL All Star Jerseys.

NHL 2009 Eastern Conference All Star Team

G: Henrik Lundqvist, Rangers
G: Tim Thomas, Bruins
G: Carry Price, Canadiens (starter)

D: Mark Streit, Islanders
D: Zdeno Chara, Bruins
D: Andrei Markov, Canadiens (starter)
D: Mike Komisarek, Canadiens (starter)
D: Tomas Kaberle, Maple Leafs
D: Jay Bouwmeester, Panthers

F: Marc Savard, Bruins
F: Dany Heatley, Senators
F: Tomas Vanek, Sabers
F: Eric Staal, Hurricanes
F: Zach Parise, Devils
F: Alex Ovechkin, Capitals
F: Vincent Lecavalier, Lightning
F: Ilya Kovalchuk, Thrashers
F: Jeff Carter, Flyers
F: Alex Kovalev, Canadiens (starter)
F: Evgeni Malkin, Penguins (starter)
F: Sidney Crosby, Penguins (starter)

The Western Conference NHL All Star team has been announced and it contains a lot of firepower. The 2009 NHL All Star Game will be played at the Bell Centre in Montreal on January 25th. The starters were for the Eastern Conference Roster and Western Conference All Star roster were announced last week. There are a number of All Star veterans on the Western Conference All Star Roster, including Iginla, Thornton and Lidstrom. The first timers on the 2009 Western Conference All Star roster include, Dan Boyle, Dustin Brown, Shea Weber, and Niklas Backstrom. The 2009 Eastern Conference All Star team will be announced Thursday.

2009 NHL Western Conference All Star Team

G: Niklas Backstrom, Wild
G: Roberto Luongo, Canucks
G: J.S. Giguere, Ducks (starter)

D: Dan Boyle, Sharks
D: Niklas Lidstrom, Red Wings
D: Bryan Campbell, Blackhawks (starter)
D: Scott Niedermayer, Ducks (starter)
D: Shea Weber, Predators
D: Sheldon Souray, Oilers

F: Jarome Iginla, Flames
F: Joe Thornton, Sharks
F: Pavel Datsyuk, Red Wings
F: Dustin Brown, Kings
F: Milan Hejduk, Avalanche
F: Shane Doan, Coyotes
F: Rick Nash, Blue Jackets
F: Mike Modano, Stars
F: Keith Tkachuk, Blues
F: Jonathan Toews, Blackhawks (starter)
F: Patrick Kane, Blackhawks (starter)
F: Ryan Getzlaf, Ducks (starter)

The starters for the 2009 NHL All Star Game were released today and there are some familiar faces and some new guys making up the starters for the All Star Game.  Chicago and Anaheim took up all the Western Conference All Star starter spots and Montreal and Pittsburgh players made up the starters for the Eastern Conference All Star team.  The rest of the rosters should be announced within the next week, but here are the starters for the 2009 NHL All Star Game as voted by fans:

Eastern Conference

Goalie: Cary Price, MON
Defense: Mike Komisarek, MON
Defense: Andrei Markov, MON
Forward: Alexei Kovalev, MON
Forward: Evgeni Malkin, PIT
Forward: Sidney Crosby, PIT

Western Conference

Goalie: Jean-Sebastien Giguere, ANA
Defense: Scott Niedermayer, ANA
Defense: Brian Campbell, CHI
Forward: Ryan Getzlaf, ANA
Forward: Jonathan Toews, CHI
Forward: Patrick Kane, CHI

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Erik Staal was named the NHL All Star Game MVP and he scored 2 goals and added 1 assist. The game as decided with less than a minute left when Eastern Conference player, Marc Savard scored high to the glove side to win the game for the Eastern Conference.

Alexander Ovechkin finished with 2 goals and Brian Campbell scored once and added 2 assists for the Eastern Conference. The Western Conference badly outshot the Eastern Conference, 51 to 33, but couldn’t defeat the Eastern Conference.

The Eastern Conference also won the Super Skills Competition and the Young Stars Game for a full sweep on the 2008 All Star weekend. Now that the All Star Break is past we look forward to the NHL Trade Deadline and the NHL Playoffs.

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The 3×3 game was played in 2 halves as an event during the Super Skills Challenge, helping the East to an overall Super Skills victory.  Nicklas Backstrom of the Capitals, Patrick Kane of the Blackhawks, and Brandon Dubinsky of the Rangers all scored 2 goals apiece, and Dubinsky was named Young Stars Game MVP.

Overall it was a fun game to watch with literally no defense, but it does showcase some of hockey’s best young talent.

SuperSkills Competition Event 1 - Obstacle Course

The first relay race was won by the East, with a team of Spezza, Savard, Gonchar and Thomas. The East won one point for this victory. The second relay team for the East won 2 points, that team included Malkin, Richards, Markov and DiPietro.

SuperSkills Competition Event 2 - Fastest Skater

The Western Conference won 2 points for the fastest individual skating time and the East won a point for the fastest average skating time. Horcoff won the fastest overall skater.

SuperSkills Competition Event 3 - Elimination Shootout

Dion Phaneuf was the star of this event scoring 2 goals and netting the Western Conference 2 points while the East scored none.

SuperSkills Competition Event 4 - Young Stars Game

Each team won one half earning one point for each side, the Eastern Conference Young Stars team won overall 7-6.

SuperSkills Competition Event 5 - Accuracy Shooting

Tomas Kaberle earned the East 2 points for going 4 for 4, and in the finals 3 for 4.

SuperSkills Competition Event 6 - Hardest Shot

The East earned 2 more points for hardest overall shot and the hardest shot average. The East’s Hardest shot average was 100.1 mph. The hard shooters on the East were Lecavalier with 101.9 mph, Chara with 103.1 mph, and Ovechkin with 98.3 mph.

SuperSkills Competition Event 7 - Breakway Challenge

Ovechkin had 2 out of 3 of the highest scores, with a 60 and a 57, Getzlaf had a 58 as the East earned their final 2 points to win the NHL SuperSkills Challenge 9-6.

The participants for the All Star Skills Competition Shootout Slam Dunk Contest for the West are:

Marion Gaborik

Pavel Datsyyuk

Ryan Getzlaf

The participants for the All Star Skills Competition Shootout Slam Dunk Contest for the East are:

Alexander Ovechkin

Martin St. Louis

Ilya Kovalchuk

The 2008 NHL All Star Game in Atlanta is guaranteed to be a great event. With the biggest stars being featured on one ice surface for an All Star Skills Competition followed by the 2008 NHL All Star Game.

It is disappointing that Sidney Crosby was injured before the All Star Game, but there will still be a ton of skill and fire power being showed off at the 2008 NHL All Star Game.

The Young Stars Game is also a featured even on the weekend, taking place the same night as the NHL Skills Challenge. The best and brightest rookies and sophmores will take the ice in a 3×3 challenge which will be very exciting.

All Star Game Rosters

Check out the Western Conference All Star Roster
Check out the Eastern Conference All Star Roster

Young Stars All Star Rosters

Check out the Western Conference Young Stars All Star Roster
Check out the Eastern Conference Young Stars All Star Roster

The Western Conference will be missing players Sergei Zubov, Paul Stastny, and Henrik Zetterberg. In their place on the 2008 NHL All Star Game Wester Conference Roster will be Corey Perry and Scott Niedermayer of the Ducks and Mike Ribeiro of the Dallas Stars. All of these players belong there in my opinion except for Scott Niedermayer. I am sorry but it is a joke he is allowed to attend after skipping the first half of the season.