Hurricanes’ Ward goes No. 1 in draft

Associated Press

raleigh, n.c.

Nicklas Lidstrom’s first pick in the inaugural NHL All-Star fantasy draft was his only bad one — choosing the wrong side of a flipped puck with the No. 1 selection on the line.

Eric Staal of the host Carolina Hurricanes quickly picked goalie Cam Ward — his teammate — first overall for Team Staal.

“I was the best player available, I guess,” Ward quipped.

The rest of the rosters for Sunday’s All-Star game — and tonight’s skills competition — were filled out as 36 players were chosen in the unique draft where there was really no way to pick a bust.

Staal was more matter of fact in explaining his decision to go with a goalie first in a game that usually abuses players at that position.

“He is a tremendous goalie, and I won a Stanley Cup with him,” Staal said of the 2006 champion Hurricanes.

Team Lidstrom was hardly hurt by the poor puck luck, as it was able to grab the league’s leader in goals, Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning, with the second choice. Two-time NHL MVP Alex Ovechkin was taken No. 3 by Staal’s alternate captain Mike Green, who proudly announced the pick of his Washington Capitals teammate. Vancouver’s Ryan Kesler is Staal’s other assistant.

Lidstrom received guidance from his alternates, Tampa Bay’s Martin St. Louis, and Patrick Kane from the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks.

The most glaring omission of the early rounds was the absence of Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, who was forced to miss the festivities because of the effects of a concussion sustained earlier this month. Crosby and Stamkos tied last season with an league-best 51 goals.

After 30 players came off the board, it came down to Toronto’s Phil Kessel and Paul Stastny of the Colorado Avalanche to determine who would be hockey’s first “Mr. Irrelevant.” Kessel earned the dubious distinction of being the last pick when Stastny was chosen by Team Staal.

“I’m just happy to be here,” said Kessel, who acknowledged that the wait was nerve-racking.

He didn’t leave empty-handed, however. He was awarded with a new car, and a donation will also be made to a charity of Kessel’s choice.

The NHL invented this new All-Star format after five years of pitting the Eastern Conference against the Western Conference, following a run of North American All-Stars versus their World counterparts.

There was no All-Star game last season because of the lengthy break for the Vancouver Olympics.

Each roster had to consist of three goalies, six defensemen and 12 forwards. The only six players not subject to the draft were those chosen as captains. Twelve rookies were also up for bids to participate only in the skills competition.