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Fresh talent flourishing at NHL All-Star festivities

Martin Brodeur is used to coming to NHL All-Star games to catch up with friends, guys he knows from Team Canada and previous midseason gatherings.

On Monday, he might as well have worn one of those "Hello, my name is ..." badges.

The All-Star festivities feature so many new players that the days leading up to today's game are more get-to-know-you sessions than reunions -- even if first-timers Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin need no introduction to anyone who has followed the post-lockout NHL.

"A lot of young players are a big part of the league, so for us older guys it's kind of nice to get to know them, talk to them and see how they are," Brodeur said. "Really, they're the future of our game."

The past has been amazingly swept away by this new wave of talent. Consider this: Brodeur and Eastern Conference teammate Brendan Shanahan have played a combined 15 All-Star games; the rest of their teammates have played a combined 11.

On the Western Conference squad, Joe Sakic, Teemu Selanne and Nicklas Lidstrom hold a 28-15 experience advantage over their teammates.

"The young guys today are a lot more talented than when we broke in," said Sakic, the Colorado forward who is a 12-time All-Star and the West's captain. "There are so many of them, and that's what is so great about this game right now. They're going to be the leaders of this league, and the league is going in the right direction with them."

Not that it's so terrible being invited back as one of the old guys.

"You've still got to be doing something right to be selected," he said. "This is just a different feeling for a veteran. Early in your career, you're really nervous. But the more times you're here, the easier it gets. You just come here, relax and have a good time."

The fun began on Monday evening with a ceremony outside the arena honoring Dallas' 1999 Stanley Cup championship team. Mike Modano, Brett Hull, Joe Nieuwendyk, Ed Belfour and Montreal Canadiens coach Guy Carbonneau were among 13 attendees, as was the Cup itself. Then came an on-ice celebration of 11 former NHL superstars, followed by a practice featuring the real squads.

The light workout was most noted for seeing players skate in sleek new uniforms created for this event with materials that will be used for every team next season. The difference was easily evident -- players looking as if they were hardly wearing any pads.

A big reason for all the fresh faces at the event: There hasn't been one since 2004. The last two were scuttled because of the lockout and the Olympics, helping build some enthusiasm this time among players who might otherwise want a few days off.
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