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Lidstrom still contemplating draft philosophy

Monday, 01.24.2011 / 5:32 PM / NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft powered by Cisco
By Dan Rosen - NHL.com Senior Writer

Don't be shocked if Team Lidstrom attempts to crush Team Staal's strategy by drafting hometown goalie Cam Ward early in Friday's NHL All-Star Fantasy Draft powered by Cisco.

"We'll see," said Nicklas Lidstrom, captain of the All-Star team that bears his name. "I know (Eric Staal) wants Cam on his team being in front of the home crowd, so it might be a good strategy to take him and get the crowd on our side. We'll talk amongst ourselves about what we're going to do. We'll have to wait and see."

Wait and see was Lidstrom's mantra during a media conference call Monday. It felt almost as if he was trying to be coy about his strategy because he's got a whopper in store for us later in the week when the NHL world descends on Raleigh, N.C. for All-Star Weekend.

Or maybe he just has no idea how the draft will play out.

Either way, Lidstrom is in charge of selecting his team. He will lean heavily on assistants Patrick Kane and Martin St. Louis.

Lidstrom is the lone Red Wing attending the weekend festivities, but Kane has three teammates (Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp and Duncan Keith) joining him in Raleigh and St. Louis is heading there with Steven Stamkos, who could very well wind up as the first pick in the draft.

That selection might come down to who wins the pre-draft coin flip that decides which team gets the No. 1 pick.

If it's Staal, he might put a quick end to the drama and go with Ward.

If it's Lidstrom, the well is wide open with options, Ward included.

Remember, all six goalies have to be selected within the first 10 rounds.

"I've been talking with (Detroit GM) Kenny (Holland) about it and he said, 'You gotta go with defense first, defense wins games,' " Lidstrom said jokingly. "I don't think that's necessarily right with this one."

Lidstrom said he will have to sit down with his alternates prior to the draft to go over their strategy.

"We're all competitors and we all want to win," Lidstrom said. "We're going to have fun with it but the competitiveness will come out. Being that this is the first time (for the new format) you want to win that game."

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=550492