All-Star comments make you wonder about the Stars

In the 32 years the All-Star Game has been played at midseason, only 12 teams that had the most points at that stage of the season have gone on to win the Stanley Cup--and if talking to players around the NHL is any indication, the Stars, the team with the best record in the league at the break, will not be the first such team since the Rangers in 1993-94 to win the championship.

The Stars are a deep team, but until goaltender Ed Belfour shows me otherwise, it's clear from his past playoff performances that opposing forwards can get in his head and get him off his game.

"Look at how hot he got at Marry Lapointe last year," Red Wings winger Brendan Shanahan says. "And I can remember a year in St. Louis when he was playing for Chicago that he went ballistic on a goal Craig Janney scored against him."

Says Coyotes power forward Keith Tkachuk, "There's more crowding the crease in the playoffs, and Eddie is one of those goalies who definitely doesn't like traffic in front of the net. I've done my share of trash-talking against him--and he can become preoccupied with you."

At the break, Belfour had an impeccable 2.05 goals-against average. And coach Ken Hitchcock says of Belfour, "I've seen a calmer demeanor. He seems more in control, at peace with himself."

Belfour may be the only thing between the Stars and a Stanley Cup. There are a lot of very good goaltenders, but even more who have wound up in the Stanley Cup graveyard because their mental toughness was in question.

The Stars had the All-Star break-leading whammy hit them last year and--although it's true they have added Brett Hull, should have a healthy Joe Nieuwendyk and throw championship experience at you in Guy Carbonneau, Brian Skrudland, Mike Keane and Craig Ludwig--there may be no way to mask the mental strength they may be lacking in goal.

More juicy banter from the All-Star Game:

Team to watch in the East. Ottawa. "They beat us in the first round of the playoffs last year and they've not only beaten us, but taken us to school--beating us, 10-2, the last two times we've played them this season," Devils goalie Martin Brodeur says. "They play a trap defense that is very effective and flash great speed at you in transition."

Team to watch in the West. Detroit. "The last time I looked there was no Michael Jordan who could singlehandedly win a championship," Avalanche center Peter Forsberg says. "The Wings have shown they know what it takes to win the last two years. They've realized that team commitment no one else has figured out yet."

Most valuable player. Dominik Hasek, Sabres. "Would anyone talk about Buffalo being a Cup contender if they didn't have him," Capitals winger Peter Bondra asks.

Player under the most pressure. Eric Lindros, Flyers. "Eric has responded to (G.M.) Bobby Clarke's criticism and hasn't taken a night off yet this season," linemate John LeClair says. "But nothing short of the Stanley Cup will satisfy a lot of people in Philadelphia."

Loudest whispers. Chris Chelios from Chicago to Philadelphia winks Lindros. But ... "I swear on four of my kids' heads that that's not true at all. Things are going bad here, but I'm not the type of player that is going to quit or ask to be traded. ... My heart is in Chicago, and it's always going to be in Chicago."

Next on the whisper list. Flames winger Theo Fleury is the hottest commodity on the trade list. "Last I heard, I was being traded to Washington for Monica Lewinsky," Fleury says. Seriously, the resurgent Maple Leafs may have moved into prime position to acquire Fleury ahead of Philadelphia, Phoenix, Dallas and, yes, Washington. Defensemen Ulf Samuelsson of the Rangers or Mark Tinordi of the Capitals to Detroit is also reportedly on the burner. "With Slava Fetisov and Bob Rouse gone, and Uwe Krupp battling injuries, we've missed that grit in front of the net Vladdie Konstantinov gave us two years ago more this year than ever," Detroit's Steve Yzerman says.

Sticking to it. We reported a couple of weeks ago that the two-referee system would go from part time to full time in the playoffs. Stats at the break show games are faster--2:32 to 2:36--restraining calls are up--4.2 to 3.9--and more stick fouls are being called--2.4 to 2.2--with two referees vs. one.

The next Wayne Gretzky. Paul Kariya, Anaheim. "He's definitely changed after the post-concussion syndrome," teammate Teemu Selanne says. "He's more aggressive on the ice, more outspoken with the media. I used to tease him that half of my salary went for baby-sitting him."

Best quote up to the All-Star break. "You can't play this game like a choirboy," Bruins coach Pat Bums says. "You have to have some dog meat in you."

Slow at the break

Believe it or not, four of the nine Stanley Cup champions in the 1990s have been fifth or worse at the All-Star break--a bend that gives a lot of teams hope this spring.