In the second part of what's going to be a six-part series, I'm naming the All Post-Lockout Atlantic Division team.

With the Northeast Division already done, it's time to move south to the next closest division. The concept is simple, the team is named based off of stats taken from the 2005-06 season and onward (or post-NHL lockout if you will).

 

First Line: Evgeni Malkin—Sidney Crosby—Brian Gionta

Love him or hate him, Sidney Crosby is the clear-cut choice for the No. 1 center spot on this roster; he would perhaps be my No. 1 pick if I were making an all-NHL team.

The Pittsburgh captain has scored 100 points or higher in three out of four NHL seasons, and in the only season he failed to reach the 100 mark, Crosby was sidelined for 29 of the Penguins regular season games. His 175 points on the advantage during his short, yet illustrious career put him in a class of his own.

Often playing alongside Crosby for the Penguins is Evgeni Malkin, who ironically is playing alongside him on this loaded team. It's even debate-worthy as to who possesses more skill, Malkin or Crosby?

The 2009 Conn Smyth winner has proven to be a model of consistency for the Penguins, as his three straight seasons of 30 or more goals along with 50-plus assists have given the Penguins another superstar to complement Crosby.

On the right wing, and perhaps the division's fastest skater, is long-time Devil Brian Gionta. Although Gionta traded in his Devils' sweater for a blood-red Canadiens' jersey this off-season, the consistent numbers posted by Gionta deem him worthy of a spot on the first line of this roster.

Gionta's best season ultimately came in 2005-06, where he put up 89 points, including 10 game-winning goals for the Devils.

 

Second Line: Zach Parise—Mike Richards—Jeff Carter

Following a debacle of a season in the City of Brotherly Love, a renaissance of great magnitude has happened for the team formerly known as the Broad Street Bullies. They're back as a contender in the Eastern Conference.

This turnaround can ultimately be due to the increasing maturity of both Jeff Carter and Mike Richards into phenomenal players for the black and orange.

Carter, who will be turning just 25 when the Flyers take the ice at Fenway Park this year, has become a supreme goal scoring threat in the NHL.

His 46 goals were tops amongst Flyers, and his 24 points on the power play were a large factor in the success of the Flyers.

Centering this line is Mike Richards (no, not the man who played Kramer on Seinfeld), the captain of the Philadelphia Flyers.

Richards has become a model of what hard work and never quitting can do for a club, as his strong two-way play is recognized throughout the entire NHL.

In 2008-09, Richards reached the 80 point plateau for the first time in his career and was named a finalist for the Frank Selke Trophy.

On the left wing is rising star and Devils' sniper, Zach Parise. The 17th overall pick of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft was always known to have potential, but that potential, which turned out to be a 45-goal scorer in 2008-09 campaign, was a surprise to most.

Parise is coming off of a 95-point season for the defending Atlantic Division champs and with the departure of Gionta, it seems that the torch to carry the Devils' (lack of) offense is solely on the 25-year-old Minnesota native.

 

Third Line: Simon Gagne—Chris Drury—Brendan Shanahan

Undoubtedly, the most veteran-savy line of the Atlantic Team, but perhaps the most sneaky one, offensively. There's no questioning the fact that this line is loaded with leadership as both Gagne and Shanny have become regulars with "A's" on their jersey, while Drury is currently the captain of the New York Rangers.

In two years with the Blueshirts, Drury has posted great numbers on the power play...39 out of Drury's 114 career points with the Rangers have been scored on the advantage. For one of those years, Drury was playing alongside Brendan Shanahan, who has been placed on this third line as the right winger.

In just two years with the Rangers, Shanahan provided a strong veteran presence and contributed 108 total points in 140 games.

After sitting out the first half of the 2008-09 season, Shanahan returned to the New Jersey Devils, his first NHL team. This offseason, he has resigned for another year in Newark.

Simon Gagne, a life-long Flyer, has without question come into his own following a devastating bout with post-concussion syndrome, which sidelined him for 52 games of the 2007-08 season. In his three fully healthy seasons since the lockout, Gagne has averaged over 40 goals a season.

 

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