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NHL.com Senior Writer Thornton has never produced in the playoffs during his career, but there is no arguing his credentials entering these playoffs. He leads the League in scoring, including a career-best 96 assists and 125 points. He has a natural goal-scorer on his flank in Jonathan Cheechoo and is surrounded by more complementary talent than he has ever enjoyed in the past. Plus, he has finis all football games hed the regular season on fire, stealing the scoring crown from Jaromir Jagr with an unbelievable finishing kick.Best Offensive Forward: Teemu Selanne, Anaheim -- On a team full of defensively conscious players, Yelle is the blueprint of what coach Darryl Sutter wants from his players, as evidenced by his plus-10 rating despite registering just 18 points. He is a checking-line center who plays cop all football games ious amounts of penalty-killing time, is adept at blocking shots and uses his intelligence to shadow the top centers in the Western Conference. He is also strong in the faceoff circle, winning 55 percent of his 1,072 faceoffs. His understated leadership is also part of the reason the Flames have remained on an even keel throughout the season.Best Penalty Killer: Greg Johnson, Nashville -- The hear all football games t and soul of the Oilers, Smyth does the majority of his offensive damage on the power play. Using his willingness to plant his big body in front of the goalie and absorb the requisite punishment to hold his ground, Smyth has scored more than half of his 36 goals with the man advantage. His 19 power-play goals are the 10th highest total in the League. All together, Smyth has managed 31 points on t all football games he power play. Best All-Around Defenseman: Scott Niedermayer, Anaheim -- Another favorite for the Norris, an honor for which Lidstrom is consistently in the running. Lidstrom is averaging a point per game with 16 goals and 64 assists in 80 games. Nine of his 16 goals have come on the power play, where he has managed 50 of his 80 points. He is among the best puck-moving defensemen in the League, all football games able to spring Detroit forwards with pin-point, two-line passes. He is also a plus-21, attesting to the fact that he is no slouch in his own end, as well.Best Shot Blocker: Jason Smith, Edmonton -- Sakic has struggled offensively at times this year, but it has rarely affected his ability to excel at many of the fundamental aspects of the game. He has taken 1,669 draws, the third-highest total in all football games the League and a number that represents one-third of his team's faceoffs. He has responded by winning 52.5 percent of those faceoffs he is assigned, including many big, end-of-the-game draws in both the offensive and defensive zones.Best Goalie: Miikka Kiprusoff, Calgary -- Has anybody done more with less? Sutter has led a team with a couple of stars and a cast of virtually unrecognized support pl all football games ayers to the Northwest Division crown, comfortably distancing the Flames from Colorado, the perennial division champs. Plus, Sutter showed two springs ago that he is an adept postseason tactician, leading an unfancied Calgary team to within one win of claiming the Stanley Cup. There is no reason that he can't repeat that performance this season.Biggest X Factor: Bill Guerin, Dallas -- Joe Louis Ar all football games ena is hockey heaven at virtually anytime. But the old building really comes to life in the spring as the area's passionate hockey fan base fills the building to capacity and roars its beloved Red Wings to even greater glory. As a result, trips to Detroit are rarely pleasant, and usually disastrous -- especially for teams unversed in the ways of playoff hockey. Plus, its hard for visiting players all football games to concentrate on the tasks at hand when they must avoid the flying octopi. all football games
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