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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 2, 2007

FAMILIAR FACES, FAMILIAR PLACES

Calgary's Jarome Iginla moved into the top spot Thursday on the Flames' all-time list of regular-season games played. Ilya Kovalchuk, only 24, will move atop that list for the Thrashers with his 415th career game for Atlanta on Friday. Here are the games played leaders for all 30 franchises:

Team	Name	Games	Seasons
Anaheim	Steve Rucchin	616	1994-2004
Atlanta	Patrik Stefan	414	1999-2006
Boston	Ray Bourque	1,518	1979-2000
Buffalo	Gil Perreault	1,191	1970-87
Calgary	Jarome Iginla	805	1996-present
Carolina	Ron Francis	1,186	1981-91, 1998-04
Chicago	Stan Mikita	1,394	1958-80
Colorado	Joe Sakic	1,343	1988-present
Columbus	David Vyborny	502	2000-08
Dallas	Mike Modano	1,265	1998-present
Detroit	Gordie Howe	1,687	1946-71
Edmonton	Kevin Lowe	1,037	1979-92, 1996-98
Florida	Robert Svehla	573	1994-2002
Los Angeles	Dave Taylor	1,111	1977-94
Minnesota	Wes Walz	438	2000-present
Montreal	Henri Richard	1,256	1955-75
Nashville	Kimmo Timonen	573	1998-2007
New Jersey	Ken Daneyko	1,283	1985-2003
N.Y. Islanders	Bryan Trottier	1,123	1975-90
N.Y. Rangers	Harry Howell	1,160	1952-69
Ottawa	Daniel Alfredsson	807	1995-present
Philadelphia	Bobby Clarke	1,144	1969-84
Phoenix	Teppo Numminen	1,098	1988-2003
Pittsburgh	Mario Lemieux	915	1984-97, 2000-06
San Jose	Patrick Marleau	741	1997-present
St. Louis	Bernie Federko	927	1976-89
Tampa Bay	Vinny Lecavalier	655	1998-present
Toronto	George Armstrong	1,187	1951-71
Vancouver	Trevor Linden	1,111	1988-98, 2001-present
Washington	Calle Johansson	983	1988-2003

GENERATIONAL DIVIDE?

With young players like Chicago's Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane emerging as stars, and veterans like Ottawa's Daniel Afredsson (35 on Dec. 11) and Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom still dominating well into their 30s, the NHL seems to have more than enough talent for today as well as the future. But what about the middle guys, players in their prime right now? That, of course, is where the bulk of the talent lies. How do the generations compare? Here are three All-Star teams drawing from active players within three age groups. Which would you pick in a winner-take-all game against the Cosmic All-Stars (Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Gordie Howe, Bobby Orr, Ray Bourque, Patrick Roy)? It probably depends on your philosophy (and maybe what year you were born):

24 AND YOUNGER

F	Sidney Crosby	Pittsburgh	20
F	Alex Ovechkin	Washington	22
F	Ilya Kovalchuk	Atlanta	24
D	Dion Phaneuf	Calgary	22
D	Jay Bouwmeester	Florida	24
G	Cam Ward	Carolina	23

Comment: So young, yet so experienced. Ward has won a Stanley Cup, while the three forwards are superstars already. Notice that four of the six play in the Southeast Division.

25-34

F	Vinny Lecavalier	Tampa Bay	27
F	Joe Thornton	San Jose	28
F	Dany Heatley	Ottawa	26
D	Zdeno Chara	Boston	30
D	Chris Pronger	Anaheim	33
G	Henrik Lundqvist	N.Y. Rangers	25

Comment: This group could out-physical any team in the world and still have the skill to mix in the occasional eye-popping move. (Imagine those three big forwards on a three-on-two rush.) Lundqvist has an Olympic gold medal and is the best goalie in the world right now.

35 AND OLDER

F	Daniel Alfredsson	Ottawa	35
F	Rod Brind'Amour	Carolina	37
F	Mats Sundin	Toronto	36
D	Nicklas Lidstrom	Detroit	37
D	Mathieu Schneider	Anaheim	38
G	Martin Brodeur	New Jersey	35

Comment: It's beginning to look as if Lidstrom will still be winning the Norris Trophy well into his 40s, if he so chooses. Brodeur's numbers have fallen off this season, but he's still the best goalie of his generation and is capable of brilliance on any given night.

FAMILIAR FACES, FAMILIAR PLACES

GENERATIONAL DIVIDE?

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