For the better half of the 21st century so far, there has been pretty fair consensus over who the dominant players in the NHL are. Over the past few years, however, there has been a changing of the guard.
Simply put, the NHL is getting younger. The Connor McDavids and the Auston Matthews of the league are leading the youthful charge to take over the new, fast-paced NHL. The impressive group of players in their 3rd year or less has also left their mark on the league’s All-Star weekend.
To put it into perspective, all you need to do is take a glance at the active All-Star Game points leaders and notice how few will be slipping on the All-Star jerseys this weekend.
Here is the list of active NHLers who have at least four points in the All-Star Game:
In total, only 10 of the active 29 NHLers to have at least four All-Star Game points will be suiting up in Tampa this weekend. That’s just less than one-third of the established All-Star Game veterans returning for the 2018 edition
This list does have certain elements to it that may skew the numbers a bit (particularly Jarome Iginla and Marian Hossa are not officially retired but have also not played a game this year), but it still shows that there has been a shift to the new generation of talent – particularly with the new format of the All-Star Game requiring speed and endurance.
It is strange to have an All-Star game happening without the likes of former staples Jonathan Toews, Shea Weber, Rick Nash, the Sedin twins, and the rest, but here we are.
It is also true that the one player from each team rule may be a culprit in keeping the likes of players like Evgeni Malkin out of the game, but you could also argue that players like Eric Staal only made it for that very reason.
The new format introduced last year has not only given the game itself a different look, the faces playing the game look a little different (and younger) as well.
Another strange thing you may have noticed, one of the games all-time greats in Sidney Crosby will be there this weekend, but the Penguins captain didn’t qualify for the list as he has only amassed two points. He has actually only played in two games.
