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These players found comfort at home

Sunday, 09.07.2008 / 9:00 AM / Season Preview

By Brian Compton - NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor


There's no better feeling than being able to bring the home crowd to its feet.

Some do it at a higher rate than others in the Western Conference, but there certainly plenty of players who got fans out of their chairs during the 2007-08 season.

Here is NHL.com's list of the top 10 Western Conference players on home ice:

1.Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit Red Wings -- The Swedish star was phenomenal in every rink last season, but he certainly played a huge role in Detroit's 29-9-3 record at Joe Louis Arena last season. Zetterberg appeared in all but one home game and notched 26 goals and 27 assists. His 53 points at home ranked third in the League behind only Evgeni Malkin and Alex Ovechkin.

2. Marian Gaborik, Minnesota Wild --
He finished with 83 points last season, and the majority of them came at Xcel Energy Center. Gaborik -- who reached the 40-goal plateau for the first time in his career -- went 28-23-51 in 39 games on home ice, helping the Wild win the Northwest Division and earn the No. 3 seed in the West.

3. Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks --
He was just 18 at the start of the 2007-08 season, but you never would have known it. Instead, Kane played like a seasoned veteran and shined on home ice. The Calder Trophy winner appeared in every game at the United Center and tallied 15 goals and 36 assists. Judging by what he was able to accomplish as a rookie, Kane will dazzle the Windy City for years to come.

4. Joe Thornton, San Jose Sharks -- After racking up 114 points in 2006-07, Thornton had another solid campaign last season, recording 29 goals and 67 assists. Thornton was the model of consistency in 2007-08, as his 96 points were split right down the middle. Thornton appeared in all 82 games last season and had 16 goals and 32 assists at the HP Pavilion.

5. Paul Stastny, Colorado Avalanche -- Some players suffer from the sophomore slump in their second season in the League. Not Stastny. While he missed nine home games, Stastny still finished fifth in the conference with 46 points (16 goals, 30 assists) on home ice. With a clean bill of health, Stastny could wreak even more havoc at the Pepsi Center this time around.

6. Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings -- Paired with Henrik Zetterberg to form one of the most dangerous combinations in the League, Datsyuk also produced plenty of excitement at Joe Louis Arena. Datsyuk -- former sixth-round draft pick -- did not miss a game in 2007-08 and went 15-30-45 on home ice.
 
7. Henrik Sedin, Vancouver Canucks -- He scored only 10 goals, but the twin brother of linemate Daniel Sedin certainly did a tremendous job of dishing the puck. Henrik, who did not miss a game at GM Place, also had 36 assists to help the Canucks stay in the playoff race until the very end. Overall, Sedin led the club with 76 points.

8. Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings --
The big center (6-foot-4, 220 pounds) enjoyed even more success in his second NHL season, especially on home ice. While he finished with 77 points, 45 of them (21 goals, 24 assists) came at the Staples Center.

Just 21, Kopitar -- the Kings' first-round choice (No. 11) in 2005 -- will surely be delighting the home crowd for a long time.

9. Jarome Iginla, Calgary Flames -- Arguably one of the top three players in the sport, the Flames' captain enjoyed plenty of success in front of a sea of red at the Pengrowth Saddledome. Iginla -- who did not miss a game last season -- had 21 goals and 23 assists in Calgary.

10. Ryan Getzlaf, Anaheim Ducks -- With Teemu Selanne missing the entire first half of the season due to semi-retirement and Dustin Penner's exit to Edmonton, the pressure was on Getzlaf to produce early and often. The All-Star forward did not disappoint, as 43 (12 goals, 31 assists) of his 82 points came at the Honda Center.

Season preview

NORTHEAST

Boston
Buffalo
Montreal
Ottawa
Toronto

SOUTHEAST

Atlanta
Carolina
Florida
Tampa Bay
Washington

Central

Chicago
Columbus
Detroit
Nashville
St. Louis

Northwest

Calgary
Colorado
Edmonton
Minnesota
Vancouver

Pacific

Anaheim
Dallas
Los Angeles
Phoenix
San Jose


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