Markov an All-Star

Well, now that the All-Star fan balloting is complete, and the FHF would like to offer hearty congratulations to first-timer Andrei Markov, who was elected by the fans to start for the Eastern Conference. He may not show any emotion when he's talking to an assistant coach, but FHF hopes Markov is as excited as we are about his being voted onto the starting lineup of the All-Star game. Sheldon who?

Better Markov than Huet at the All-Star Shootout, where skaters can have fun all weekend, coast on the backcheck and ignore defensive assignments on the ice while the goalies face a 20-minute nightmare of breakaways, rebounds and highlight-reel goals. Goalies always get screwed.

For the first faceoff at least, Andrei will partner Zdeno Chara in front of Martin Brodeur, with Sid the Kid, Vinny Lecavalier and Alfie leading the attack.

A few quick HF29-style thoughts:

• Well deserved. Markov is or near at the top in most offensive categories for defencemen, quaterbacks the league's number one powerplay and logs a ton of minutes against the other team's top lines. If fans of Sergei Gonchar, Tomas Kaberle, Brian Campbell or anyone else feel slighted, fair enough, but Markov and Chara are both decent choices;
• It would be nice if Komi got to go and partner him too, but fat chance;
• This may spell doom for the Christo-Wall and Kovy's chances too;
• No Alex Ovechkin or Ilya Kovalchuk in the starting lineup. What, no one likes to see goals goals goals? I would have voted for Alex the Great over Sid and Alfie;
• I have nothing to say about the Western starters. This is a Habs blog and I've already said too much about non-Hab things.

Lap dances are on us this week, Andrei. Congrats. Too bad the Gold Club in Atlanta is gone.

*HF10 wrote all the good/interesting/funny parts of this post.