All-Star festivities showcase next generation of NHL stars

By STEPHEN WHYNO
AP Hockey Writer

FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin will again be big parts of NHL All-Star Weekend. But the event in South Florida is also a showcase for the next generation of hockey stars. New Jersey’s Jack Hughes, Buffalo’s Tage Thompson and Dallas’ Jason Robertson all rank in the top 10 in the league in goals and points. It’s no coincidence the Devils, Sabres and Stars are in the playoff race at the break. Their emergence could upend the way the standings and leaderboards look for years to come. And the Sabres are far from a one-man team thanks to defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, who is replacing Thompson because of injury.