2011 NHL Mock Draft of the New All-Star Game Format

A new era has been ushered in as the National Hockey League will introduce a new All-Star game format in time for this season's All-Star weekend.

The Carolina Hurricanes will host the NHL's elite on the weekend of January 28, 29 and 30, 2011 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

A new wrinkle, the All-Star fantasy draft will be held on Friday night, the SuperSkills competition will go on Saturday followed by the All-Star game on Sunday.

This new direction is the brain child of former NHLer Brendan Shanahan, now the NHL's Vice President of Hockey and Business Development.

Shanahan has also relied on input from other members from the NHL's hockey operations department, National Hockey League's Players Association and current players.

Under the new guidelines, two Captains were voted on by the 42 participating All-Stars who were announced earlier. Hometown 'Canes Captain Eric Staal and Detroit Red Wings Captain Niklas Lidstrom were voted as the games two Captains.

Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks and Ryan Kesler of the Vancouver Canucks were announced as alternate Captains for Captain Lidstrom. Team Staal will consist of Martin St. Louis of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Mike Green of the Washington Capitals as alternate Captains.

While Calgary Flames forward Jarome Iginla has bowed out of the All-Star game for personal reasons, allowing Philadelphia Flyers forward Danny Briere to replace him, there are reports indicating that Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will both miss the All-Star game with Injuries. Without getting in to who should replace them, I've included them anyway into my mock draft. Expect the NHL to clarify their positions some time this week.

How the Draft will work:

"A coin toss will decide first pick with the team captains, joined by their two alternate captains, alternately drafting the 36 remaining All-Stars through 18 rounds. Each team will consist of three goalies, six defensemen and 12 forwards total. For sake of fairness in the draft, the captain and alternate captains for each team will consist of two forwards and one defenseman. Also, to ensure that the final draft picks are true selections and not simply predetermined due to position requirements, each team’s three goalies must be picked by the end of Round 10 and each team’s six defensemen must be picked by the conclusion of Round 15." —Taken from NHL.com 

No doubt that both Captains and their alternates will be busy during the draft. It should be interesting to see how it all pans out. Say what you want about the new All-Star game format, but this draft should be very interesting to watch.

Tune in on Friday January 28 at 7:30 pm eastern time to watch the events unfold. TSN in Canada will have the draft and Versus in the United States. NHL Network in both Canada and US will recap the events starting at 10pm eastern time.

I'm about to put it all on the line...

Here is my Mock draft of the 2011 NHL Star game rosters for Team Lidstrom and Team Staal...

Here we go...

Coin Flip Winner: Team Staal

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

RALEIGH, NC - NOVEMBER 29: Eric Staal #12 of the Carolina Hurricanes skates against the Dallas Stars at the RBC Center on November 29, 2010 in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Stars defeated the Hurricanes 4-1. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Hey, I got a 50/50 chance, right?

Round One

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 16: Goaltender Cam Ward #30 of the Carolina Hurricanes against the Atlanta Thrashers at Philips Arena on December 16, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Team Staal has first pick:

CAM WARD— Carolina Hurricanes.

Team Lidstrom first pick:

HENRIK SEDIN— Vancouver Canucks.

Round Two

Team Staal second pick:

SIDNEY CROSBY— Pittsburgh Penguins

Team Lidstrom second pick:

DANIEL SEDIN— Vancouver Canucks

Round Three

Paul Bereswill/Getty Images

NEWARK, NJ - JANUARY 09: Steven Stamkos #91 of the Tampa Bay Lightning skates during an NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on January 9, 2011 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images)

Team Staal:

STEVE STAMKOS— Tampa Bay Lightning

Team Lidstrom:

ALEX OVECHKIN— Washington Capitals

Round Four

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

ANAHEIM, CA - NOVEMBER 29: Corey Perry #10 of the Anaheim Ducks skates against the Los Angeles Kings at the Honda Center on November 29, 2010 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Team Staal:

JONATHAN TOEWS— Chicago Blackhawks

Team Lidstrom:

EVGENI MALKIN— Pittsburgh Penguins

Round Five

Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images

MONTREAL, CANADA - JANUARY 2: Dustin Byfuglien #33 of the Atlanta Thrashers skates with the puck while being chased by Scott Gomez #11 of the Montreal Canadiens during the NHL game at the Bell Centre on January 2, 2011 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The T

Team Staal:

DUSTIN BYFUGLIEN— Altanta Thrashers

Team Lidstrom:

TIM THOMAS— Boston Bruins

Round Six

Team Staal:

MARC-ANDRE FLEURY— Pittsburgh Penguins

Team Lidstrom:

ZDENO CHARA— Boston Bruins

Round Seven

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 15: Goaltender Jonas Hiller #1 of the Anaheim Ducks looks up a the video board during the NHL game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Jobing.com Arena on January 15, 2011 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Team Staal:

DUNCAN KEITH— Chicago Blackhawks

Team Lidstrom:

JONAS HILLER— Anaheim Ducks

Round Eight

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

UNIONDALE, NY - DECEMBER 16: Corey Perry #10 of the Anaheim Ducks skates against the New York Islanders at the Nassau Coliseum on December 16, 2010 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Team Staal:

COREY PERRY— Anaheim Ducks

Team Lidstrom:

RICK NASH— Columbus Blue Jackets

Round Nine

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 08: Loui Eriksson #21 of the Dallas Stars skates up the ice against the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center on December 8, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. The Blackhawks defeated the Stars 5-3. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Team Staal:

CLAUDE GIROUX— Philadelphia Flyers

Team Lidstrom:

LOUI ERIKSSON— Dallas Stars

Round 10

Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images

MONTREAL, CANADA - JANUARY 22: Carey Price #31 of the Montreal Canadiens makes a pad save on the puck in overtime on a shot by Bobby Ryan #9 of the Anaheim Ducks (not pictured) during the NHL game at the Bell Centre on January 22, 2011 in Montreal, Quebe

Team Staal:

CAREY PRICE— Montreal Canadiens

Team Lidstrom:

HENRIK LUNDQVIST— New York Rangers

Round 11

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

DENVER, CO - JANUARY 10: Matt Duchene #9 of the Colorado Avalanche controls the puck against the Detroit Red Wings at the Pepsi Center on January 10, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. Duchene earned the number one star as he scored two goals as the Avalanche def

Team Staal:

KRIS LETANG— Pittsburgh Penguins

Team Lidstrom:

MATT DUCHENE— Colorado Avalanche

Round 12

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

CHICAGO, IL - JANUARY 05: Brad Richards #91 of the Dallas Stars skates up the ice against the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center on January 5, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. The Stars defeated the Blackhawks 4-2. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Team Staal:

BRAD RICHARDS— Dallas Stars

Team Lidstrom:

SHEA WEBER— Nashville Predators

Round 13

Team Staal:

BRENT BURNS— Minnesota Wild

Team Lidstrom:

DAN BOYLE— San Jose Sharks

Round 14

Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

NEWARK, NJ - DECEMBER 31: Tobias Enstrom #39 of the Atlanta Thrashers skates against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on December 31, 2010 in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils defeated the Thrashers 3-1. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Team Staal:

DANNY BRIERE— Philadelphia Flyers

Team Lidstrom:

TOBY ENSTROM— Atlanta Thrashers

Round 15

Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 11: Marc Staal #18 of the New York Rangers skates against the Montreal Canadiens on January 11, 2011 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Montreal defeated the Rangers 2-1. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Team Staal:

MARC STAAL— New York Rangers

Team Lidstrom:

ERIK KARLSSON— Ottawa Senators

Round 16

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 29: Anze Kopitar #11 of the Los Angeles Kings skates with the puck during the NHL game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Jobing.com Arena on December 29, 2010 in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the Kings 6-3. (Photo by Chri

Team Staal:

PATRICK SHARP— Chicago Blackhawks

Team Lidstrom:

ANZE KOPITAR— Los Angeles Kings

Round 17

Team Staal:

DAVID BACKES— St. Louis Blues

Team Lidstrom:

PHIL KESSEL— Toronto Maple Leafs

Round 18

Dale MacMillan/Getty Images

EDMONTON, CANADA - NOVEMBER 19: Ales Hemsky #83 of the Edmonton Oilers skates against the Phoenix Coyotes on November 19, 2010 at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Dale MacMillan/Getty Images)

Team Staal:

ALES HEMSKY— Edmonton Oilers

Team Lidstrom:

PATRICK ELIAS— New Jersey Devils

Team Staal

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 05: Eric Staal #12 of the Carolina Hurricanes skates against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on January 5, 2011 in New York City. The Rangers defeated the Hurricanes 2-1 in overtime. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Ima

Team Staal:

Goalies

Cam Ward— Carolina

Marc-Andre Fleury— Pittsburgh

Carey Price— Montreal

Defence

Dustin Byfuglien— Atlanta

Duncan Keith— Chicago

Kris Letang— Pittsburgh

Brent Burns— Minnesota

Marc Staal— New York Rangers

Mike Green— Washington - Alt

Forwards

Eric Staal— Carolina - Capt.

Martin St. Louis Tampa Bay - Alt.

Sidney Crosby— Pittsburgh

Steve Stamkos— Tampa Bay

Jonathan Toews— Chicago

Corey Perry— Anaheim

Claude Giroux— Philadelphia

Brad Richards— Dallas

Danny Briere— Philadelphia

Patrick Sharp— Chicago

David Backes— St. Louis

Ales Hemsky— Edmonton

Team Lidstrom

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

NEWARK, NJ - DECEMBER 11: Nicklas Lidstrom #5 of the Detroit Red Wings skates against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on December 11, 2010 in Newark, New Jersey. The Red Wings defeated the the Devils 4-1. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Ima

Team Lidstrom:

Goalies

Tim Thomas— Boston

Jonas Hiller— Anaheim

Henrik Lundqvist— New York Rangers

Defence

Niklas Lidstrom— Detroit - Capt.

Zdeno Chara— Boston

Shea Weber— Nashville

Dan Boyle— San Jose

Tobais Enstrom— Atlanta

Erik Karlsson— Ottawa

Forwards

Ryan Kelser— Vancouver - Alt.

Patrick Kane— Chicago - Alt.

Henrik Sedin— Vancouver

Daniel Sedin— Vancouer

Alex Ovechkin— Washington

Evgeni Malkin— Pittsburgh

Rick Nash— Columbus

Loui Eriksson— Dallas

Matt Duchene— Colorado

Anze Kopitar— Los Angeles

Phil Kessel— Toronto

Patrick Elias— New Jersey

Final Thoughts

1986 NHL All-Star game video player intros from Hartford.

While this is only a Mock Draft, the Real Draft will be packed with some interesting story-lines.

Some of these players are bitter foes on the ice, now they will become teammates, will they embrace this?

Chances are that they will if they have an open mind to it. The name of the game is fun and why not have fun with it.

Could this concept become a success... time will tell, but there is quite a bit of hype now that there are names and faces to finally apply this formula to. There is an opportunity for this game to be a "staple" in the future.

Having to pick your goalies and defenceman before certain rounds makes sense, but it will in all likelihood mean a few players will "slide" in the draft. Overall, these players are considered— through this process at least, as being the best current 42 players in the NHL.

There are concerns that Sidney Crosby, Ales Hemsky and a few others might not be in Raleigh when draft night occurs as injuries are part of the game. Here's hoping they are... and that they, along with everyone else enjoy the new format.

It will be interesting to see how the entire fantasy draft unfolds. There will no doubt be some great discussions about who picked who and who wasn't drafted high enough— which goes with the territory for an event so new.

While I personally was not a big fan of All-Star games in the past, and quite honestly though that this concept was an error by the NHL, I have to admit that I am curious as to how this will all play out.

I am going to keep an open mind.

Now that the NHL has built the formula, it will be all up to the players on how this event will go. In the end if this All-Star game is deemed a success, it could influence other leagues and sports to adopt this interesting concept.

Good Luck Team Staal and Team Lidstrom. Oh, and good luck to the goalies!

Mike MacDonald is a Feature Columnist covering the Nashville Predators and the NHL