Fleury, Letang On Opposite Sides For All-Star Game
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The NHL All-Star Game is Sunday afternoon and two members of the Pittsburgh Penguins will be playing against each other.
For the first time, an NHL All-Star Fantasy Draft was held to determine the two sides. Captains Eric Staal and Nicklas Lidstrom took turns picking their rosters.
In previous years, the two teams consisted of players from the Eastern Conference skating against the Western Conference. The NHL also experimented with a North American All-Stars versus the World All-Stars format.
Marc-Andre Fleury was taken in the ninth round of the draft by Lidstrom, while Kris Letang was taken in the 12th round by Staal.
Fleury was the fourth goaltender to be selected in the draft. Staal took his teammate, Cam Ward, with the first overall pick in the draft.
Lidstrom selected Boston's Tim Thomas in the fifth round, while Staal took Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers in the sixth round.
Having Letang and Fleury on opposite sides will leave Penguins fans torn over who to cheer for. Another issue for some fans will be the sight of Letang skating on the same team as Alex Ovechkin.
The Sedin twins, of the Vancouver Canucks, will also skate against each other for the first time in the NHL. Staal selected Daniel and Lidstrom claimed Henrik in the third round.
Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are sitting out the game due to injuries.
You can watch the NHL All-Star Game on Versus at 4 p.m. Sunday.
