Generation Next Makes Mark

ST. PAUL, Minn. —  Glen Murray sees the revolution coming. He just hopes members of the NHL’s under-25 generation will be kind to him when they take over.

Standing to his left Saturday was his Bruin teammate Joe Thornton, 24, a three-time All-Star and first-time starter. To Thornton’s left was Atlanta left wing Ilya Kovalchuk, a first-time All-Star at 20 and bound to eclipse the 38 goals he scored last season. Columbus left wing Rick Nash, 19, who leads the NHL with 31 goals, drew the largest crowd at the West All-Star interview session Saturday.

“These kids are great now, and 10 years from now they’ll be in their prime,” said Murray, 31. “Actually, they’re in their prime now. Hopefully, 10 years from now I’ll be able to get Joe to leave me tickets to watch him.”

Pavel Datsyuk, at 24 the top scorer on a Detroit team loaded with a half-dozen sure Hall of Famers, joined Thornton, Kovalchuk and Nash to provide a glimmer of hope the NHL desperately needs. Today’s All-Star game at the Xcel Energy Center is their chance to affirm they deserve to share the stage with 43-year-old Mark Messier, who will play in his 15th All-Star game, and 30-somethings Mike Modano, Jeremy Roenick, Joe Sakic and Mats Sundin.

“The young guys, we’re the new generation,” Kovalchuk said. “That’s always happening. It’s part of the game. The older guys are gone and the younger guys come in. There are a lot of younger guys here and I’m very excited to be part of this.”

Thornton, third in the scoring race last season with 101 points, marveled at the skills of his peers. “What a story Rick Nash is,” Thornton said. “It just seems like every shot he makes is going into the back of the net. In this day and age, it’s amazing.

“I think we’re all excited to be here and prove ourselves. It’s nice to see young guys step forward and dominating this league. It’s a good turnover.”

Messier, who played in three All-Star games before Nash was born, enjoyed the kids’ excitement but said their stardom would also bring responsibility.

“People look up to them, and the NHL needs them to conduct themselves the right way on and off the ice,” Messier said. “There is always pressure on young superstars to win the Stanley Cup, too, because that’s what separates players. Every team starts off September with one thought in mind, and that’s not for one player to score 50 goals, but to win the Stanley Cup.

“That’s what all these young players will be striving for from this moment on.”

It appears the younger generation -- including players chosen for Saturday’s YoungStars game instead of today’s main event -- is up to the task. Nash said playing against Messier would be “amazing,” adding, “If I have half the career he’s had, I’d be pretty happy.

“For me and the young guys, we can’t be like regular 19-year-olds. We’ve got to mature a lot faster. You’re not going to college or partying like your friends.”

The West won last season’s game, 6-5, in a shootout. Atlanta’s Dany Heatley was voted the most valuable player for scoring four goals and converting a chance in the shootout, but he was injured last September in a car accident that killed his passenger, teammate Dan Snyder, and didn’t return until Jan. 28.

Today’s game is the second straight under the East-West format. The previous five games matched North American stars against a team of stars from the rest of the world to emphasize international play and spark interest in the NHL’s 1998 and 2002 Olympic ventures. NHL players’ participation in the 2006 Turin Games will be determined in the next collective bargaining agreement.

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Someday, Mighty Duck rookie Joffrey Lupul hopes to play in the marquee event of All-Star weekend. Until then, he’ll savor the hat trick he scored in Saturday’s YoungStars game, a four-on-four event with 10-minute, running-time periods.

“It’s always a thrill to be out there with some of the top guys. It’s a nice feeling,” said Lupul, who was set up each time by San Jose’s Jonathan Cheechoo as the West routed the East, 7-3. “I had all the chances in the world. It was a pretty free-flowing game.”

If only every game were like that. “It would be nice, but the systems are so good,” said the 20-year-old winger, who has eight goals and 21 points in 48 games. “It’s all about winning. It’s not about entertainment so much like it used to be when I grew up watching the Oilers.”

In the skills competition, the East defeated the West, 13-6, before a Minnesota-record crowd of 19,434. Scott Niedermayer of the Devils was the fastest skater, Adrian Aucoin of the New York Islanders and Sheldon Souray of the Canadiens tied for the hardest shot (102.2 mph), Jeremy Roenick hit all four targets to lead the East to victory in the accuracy contest, and the East won the breakaway relay event.