Team Toews at Team Foligno
Nick Foligno made it easy for the hometown fans to decide which team they would support when Team Foligno faces Team Toews on Sunday in the 60th NHL All-Star Game - and first since 2012 - at Nationwide Arena in Columbus. Foligno of the host Blue Jackets, who along with Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks were chosen as team captains, selected teammate Ryan Johansen with the first pick of the All-Star Fantasy Draft on Friday, ensuring his squad will receive the loudest cheers during the event. Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky also was scheduled to appear in the exhibition but was forced to withdraw due to injury.
Several others were selected to participate in the All-Star Game but also bowed out with ailments, including Pittsburgh Penguins superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, netminders Jimmy Howard of the Detroit Red Wings and Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators and Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson. Team Foligno will be coached by Darryl Sutter of the reigning Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings while Nashville's Peter Laviolette will guide Team Toews. The Fantasy Draft was highlighted by a trade that mirrored real life, as Foligno dealt Tyler Seguin of the Dallas Stars to Toews for Toronto Maple Leafs center Phil Kessel, while Predators rookie Filip Forsberg - who was named an All-Star as an injury replacement - earned the dubious distinction of being the last player picked (Team Toews).
TV: 5 p.m. ET, NBCSN, CBC, TVA
ABOUT TEAM TOEWS: By acquiring Seguin (52 points), Team Toews boasts the top two scorers in the NHL as it also has leader Jakub Voracek of the Philadelphia Flyers (56) on the roster. The club has the top two goal scorers as well in Seguin and Rick Nash of the New York Rangers, who share the league lead with 28 tallies apiece. Toews has quite a bit of familiarity on his squad as he selected Chicago teammates Brent Seabrook and goalie Corey Crawford in the Fantasy Draft. Nashville defenseman Shea Weber redeemed himself after missing the net on his first attempt during the Hardest Shot event in the Skills Competition by capturing the crown with a blast that clocked in at 108.5 miles per hour on his second try.
ABOUT TEAM FOLIGNO: Foligno and Johansen are not the only pair of actual teammates on the club, as they are joined by Chicago's Patrick Kane and defenseman Duncan Keith, Los Angeles' Anze Kopitar and blue-liner Drew Doughty and the St. Louis Blues' duo of defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk and goalie Brian Elliott. Team Foligno was victorious in the Skills Competition 25-19, with Tampa Bay Lightning rookie Jonathan Drouin claiming the Fastest Skater title, Kane earning the crown for shooting accuracy and Johansen winning the fan vote for the Breakaway Challenge event. Team Foligno also will have the support of the nation of Latvia, which made native son Zemgus Girgensons of the Buffalo Sabres the top vote-getter during seven weeks of online voting by fans for six roster spots.
OVERTIME
1. Due to Howard's groin injury, the Red Wings do not have a representative during All-Star Weekend.
2. Along with Elliott and Forsberg, other injury replacements selected for the All-Star Game are netminders Marc-Andre Fleury of Pittsburgh and Jaroslav Halak of the New York Islanders, Florida Panthers rookie Aaron Ekblad and fellow rookie Johnny Gaudreau of the Calgary Flames.
3. Los Angeles rookie LW Tanner Pearson was unable to take part in Saturday's Skills Competition due to a broken leg.