Giroux, Voracek Named to All-Star Team

The Philadelphia Flyers have two all-stars and it’s no surprise who they are. Jake Voracek and Claude Giroux have a combined 96 points this season.

This will be Voracek’s first career all-star appearance. The game will be held in Columbus, where Voracek started his career. He was traded to the Flyers from the Blue Jackets in exchange for Jeff Carter. The winger leads the NHL in total points with 50, and he is also tops in the league with 34 assists. He set career highs in goals (23), assists (34) and points (62) last season, but is on pace for 98 points this year.

Voracek has been very consistent this season for a mediocre team. He has only been held scoreless in back-to-back games once, and that happened against the Nashville Predators and Arizona Coyotes. He has been producing at home (24 points) and on the road (26 points). The fact that he plays on the Flyers’ top line and top power play unit has helped his production this season. It has not mattered which teammate has played on the left side with Voracek and Giroux because they have chemistry and keep producing. The winger has six goals, 10 assists and 16 points on the power play; whereas, at even strength he has 10 goals, 24 assists and 34 points.

Voracek is playing with a lot more speed this season after dropping 10 pounds in the off season. He has been playing a strong game behind the net, and stays on the puck. The winger has taken over games when the Flyers have needed him to this season. The opposing teams shouldn’t give him any space to work with behind the net, because he’ll use it to his advantage with either a pass or a scoring chance. He has played in all 42 games for the Flyers this season and has only been held scoreless in 11 of those games.

This will be Giroux’s third all-star appearance. He has been an all-star in 2011 and 2012. He ranks fourth in the NHL with 46 total points. The center has 14 goals and 32 assists. His 32 assists land him at second in the NHL, just behind teammate, Jake Voracek.

Giroux leads the league in face-offs taken (1,045) and face-offs won (586). The 56.1 face-off percentage is second only to Patrice Bergeron among forwards that have taken over 700 face-offs. He is second among forwards in average time on ice per game at 21:14, which is aided by his play at even strength, power play time and playing shorthanded. He is third in the league with 158 shots behind Alex Ovechkin and Tyler Seguin. Giroux is averaging over a point per game this season.

Giroux has been one of the Flyers’ better players this season. He has only been held scoreless in 10 games, and hasn’t been scoreless in consecutive games yet. Giroux is shooting the puck more instead of making the extra pass. The center is the quarterback of the Flyers first unit power play, where he scores just over 45 percent of his points. He has eight goals, 13 assists, 21 points and averages 3:33 of power play time on ice. At even strength, he has six goals, 19 assists, and 25 points.

It should be interesting to see whether the duo is kept together or has to play on separate teams during All-Star weekend, which takes place on January 24 and 25.