NHL
Scores/Schedules
Standings
Statistics
Transactions
Injuries
Players
Weekly lineup
Video Highlights

 Tuesday, January 4
Jagr closing in on million mark
 
SportsTicker

 NEW YORK -- Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Jaromir Jagr is on the verge of becoming the first player to top one million votes since All-Star fan balloting began 14 years ago.

Jaromir Jagr
Jagr
Jagr, the reigning Hart Trophy winner, remained the top vote-getter for the World team that will face the North American squad in the NHL All-Star Game on February 6 in Toronto.

Again leading the league in scoring, Jagr has 903,745 votes through Monday. With one week of balloting remaining, he easily has eclipsed the former high of 620,788 set by Detroit's Paul Coffey in 1995-96.

Jagr has a lead of more than 321,000 votes over Teemu Selanne of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in balloting among World wingers. Pavel Bure of the Florida Panthers is still nearly 206,000 votes behind Selanne for the second starting spot.

Among centers, Mats Sundin of the Toronto Maple Leafs leads Swedish countryman Peter Forsberg of the Colorado Avalanche. Sundin has 476,448 votes, while Forsberg -- who has missed 25 games this season with shoulder and hip injuries -- has 425,753 votes.

Another Swede, Nicklas Lidstrom of the Detroit Red Wings, is the top vote-getter among defensemen with 817,566. The real battle is between Sergei Zubov of the Dallas Stars and Sandis Ozolinsh of the Avalanche for the second starting spot on defense. Zubov has 520,498 votes compared to Ozolinsh's total of 498,659.

Despite missing all but nine games this season with a groin injury, Dominik Hasek of the Buffalo Sabres leads all goaltenders with 464,936 votes. With Hasek still sidelined, Arturs Irbe of the Carolina Hurricanes is battling Roman Turek of the St. Louis Blues for the likely starting spot. Irbe was selected on 351,744 ballots, some 16,000 more than Turek.

Of the leading vote-getters at each position, two are Swedish and two -- Jagr and Hasek -- are from the Czech Republic. Selanne is from Finland and Zubov is from Russia.

This is the third straight year in which the NHL is using the World-North American format at the All-Star Game. Balloting will continue through Jan. 3.

 


ALSO SEE
Bowman, Quinn to coach NHL All-Star teams

World All-Stars voting

U.S.-born players not faring well in North American All-Star vote

North America All-Stars voting