Raleigh NC| Is Hurricanes’ Wallin All-Star Material? Maybe
With balloting kicking off today for the 2009 NHL All-Star Game, one would think the hubbub in Raleigh might surround Hurricanes star Eric Staal or captain Rod Brind’Amour. Instead, Staal has struggled to find the back of the net, and Brind’Amour has had a lackluster performance thus far.
Enter… Niclas Wallin?
Staal, Brind’Amour and winger Ray Whitney are listed as ballot selections, but ‘Canes fans have rallied around casting write-in votes for Wallin, a defenseman not listed among the ballot options this year. Wallin has developed a solid reputation with Carolina as the “Secret Weapon” — he’s tied for first in NHL history with three overtime goals during the playoffs, a remarkable statistic for a defenseman with 20 career goals.
Wallin isn’t an obvious All-Star; the Swedish-born player’s work often goes unnoticed. But he has electrified the ‘Canes fanbase this year with a staggering plus-minus total (that some are predicting to reach astronomical heights). He legitimately deserves an All-Star selection.
Luke DeCock of The News and Observer best explained why the Wallin movement stands out as opposed to a similar campaign for Rory Fitzpatrick of the Vancouver Canucks two years ago, an endeavor that ultimately failed:
“One difference here is that the Fitzpatrick campaign was at heart a joke — let’s get a guy, who while a good team player and a useful reserve, is about as far from ‘All-Star’ as you can get, into the All-Star Game — Wallin is actually having a good season and has had a solid career.
But the spirit is the same: It’s partly a protest against the actual NHL ballot, which always offers an inexplicably narrow range of candidates for selection. (In the Web era, why not open up every player with an nhl.com bio for voting? Why not offer two forwards, one defenseman and one goalie from each team?) And it’s partly an acknowledgement of a player who often goes unacknowledged. As an All-Star, the Secret Weapon would be a secret weapon no more.”
Wallin is public relations gold. Any business would love to have an employee with the selfless output Wallin has given coach Peter Laviolette and company this year. That effort should not go unnoticed.
Vote for Wallin! Visit the All-Star balloting page and submit him as a write-in defenseman in the Eastern Conference.
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