Projecting All-Stars for the 2nd Half of the 2015 NHL Season

It's time for a do-over.

With the puck dropping on the unofficial second half of the 2014-15 NHL season, players get a fresh start for the playoff stretch. Based on the numbers alone over the first half, some of these guys finished off the mark in terms of All-Star Game selections but showed some promise for the next 35 games or so. 

I'm taking a stab at predicting the NHL All-Stars for the second half of the season, but leaving out the guys who we named collectively here. We can assume they will, barring injury, continue impressing.

Instead you'll see guys who fell short over the first half due to injury, illness, slumps or a combination of all of those things but got hot heading into the break. 

They're the top candidates for second-half glory.

Click ahead to see them by position and add your picks in the comments section. 

All stats via NHL.com

Goaltender: Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers

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First-half numbers: Lundqvist was among the top goalies in wins with 23 (six behind runaway leader Pekka Rinne and three back of Carey Price in the second spot), a .921 save percentage (tied for eighth in the NHL) and a goals-against average of 2.25 that ranks seventh at the break.

Why he'll dominate: What the overall numbers from the first half don't show is how strongly Lundqvist was trending up the last month or so. He won 14 of his last 16 games, allowing more than two goals against just twice in that span. His save percentage dipped lower than .935 in just five of those contests. The 32-year-old netminder was hot over the last few months of the season a year ago and will look to do the same here.

Honorable mention: Michael Hutchinson has been a force for the Winnipeg Jets since his playing time was upped in mid-November, and he looks to have taken over the starting role with 10 starts in the Jets' last 16 games. He sits second in the league with both a .935 save percentage and 1.90 goals-against average.

Defense: Kevin Shattenkirk, St. Louis Blues

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First-half numbers: With eight goals and 39 points, Shattenkirk is second in scoring among all NHL defensemen behind Calgary Flames star Mark Giordano by just a single point. His plus-17 rating ranks third among blueliners, and his 24 points on the power play is tied for first among all NHLers.

Why he'll dominate: The St. Louis Blues have the luxury of three talented two-way defenders who can eat minutes and play against any forward line. Shattenkirk produces the most in the fewest minutes and, if anything, his ice time could climb in the second half. According to Andrew Allsman of HockeySTL, via KMOV.com, his fitness level is up, and that means his play likely won't level off because of endurance trouble.

Honorable mention: Victor Hedman started the season with goals in three straight games and seven points in those three contests for the Tampa Bay Lightning. He only played two more before breaking his finger. He's had six multi-point games in the 23 he's played since and has 22 points in 28 games on the year, so once he finds his consistency again, he should be among the top defensemen in the league.

Defense: Erik Karlsson

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First-half numbers: With 33 points through 46 games, the Ottawa Senators captain is sixth among defensemen. He leads the position with 176 shots taken and he sits third among all skaters in that stat.

Why he'll dominate: Karlsson is growing the defensive side of his game and has a plus-nine rating in a dozen games since Christmas. The offensive numbers will climb, too, the way he went into the All-Star break—with four goals and 10 points in those last 12 games. With more than 27 minutes a game on average, he's third in the NHL behind Ryan Suter and Drew Doughty.

Honorable mention: We'll call this the Carlson slide and give kudos to Washington Capitals defender John Carlson, who is already three points shy of his career best of 37 and owns a plus-15 rating. He's going to shatter his previous numbers and has become the Caps' top weapon on the back end.

Left Wing: Alex Steen

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First-half numbers: The St. Louis Blues sniper is one of only eight forwards who is averaging more than 20 minutes a game, and Steen has 15 goals and 40 points in 44 games so far.

Why he'll dominate: Arguably the hottest forward since the calendar turned to 2015, Steen has seven goals and 17 points in his past nine games. With the forward depth the Blues boast, Steen will be able to take advantage of some matchups at times and looks to be over the concussion issues that derailed his incredible start last season.

Honorable mention: Zach Parise and the Minnesota Wild have had a disappointing season, although the winger's numbers don't look bad—just low in comparison to his potential. Parise has had to deal with the death of his father, and the season's second half should help him move forward. He went into the break with five goals and six points over the final four games to earn NHL third-star honors, via The Canadian Press on TSN.ca.

Center: Derek Stepan

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First-half numbers: The New York Rangers center was injured to start the season but finished with eight goals and 32 points in 31 games. 

Why he'll dominate: The Rangers have no shortage of triggermen; whether Stepan is playing with Rick Nash or Martin St. Louis, he'll continue to rack up the assists. He's one of only 11 players at the All-Star break to play at a point-per-game pace. 

Honorable mention: John Tavares of the New York Islanders could very well be tops on this list come the end of the season, with five game-winners in the first half putting him second in that stat and his 21 goals slotting him eighth in the NHL at the moment. He had two goals and six points in the three games leading up to the All-Star Game and then potted four (a game high) in the midseason classic. 

Right Wing: Corey Perry

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First-half numbers: First the mumps, then the knee—it hasn't been the easiest of starts for the Anaheim Ducks star. Still, he has 19 goals and 31 points in 32 contests to pair with his plus-15 rating. 

Why he'll dominate: Only Rick Nash and Tyler Seguin have scored more goals per game, and Perry is tied with Alex Ovechkin for third in that category despite the ups and downs of his health. The extra rest over the All-Star break will do him some good, but he was already looking back in stride with four goals and seven points in his last four games before the pause.

Honorable mention: It's almost as if Los Angeles Kings flanker Marian Gaborik has already played two seasons. One was pitiful, the other brilliant. We're betting on the guy who scored 11 goals and 18 points in his last 16 games over the one who started with four goals and eight points in his first 18 contests this year.