Sundin and Roberts Named To Eastern Conference All Star Team

The NHL announced the reserve players for the All Star game taking place on February 8th in Minnesota. Among the players chosen were Mats Sundin and Gary Roberts of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ed Belfour and Bryan McCabe were given consideration but were both excluded from the roster.

Mats Sundin has made all star appearances a habit since coming to the Leafs in 1994. Since then, Sundin has been named to the All Star team each season as a representative from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Gary Roberts will make his first appearance in an All Star game in over a decade. This all star appearance is a testament to Roberts’ truly remarkable career that many thought was finished in 1996 when he suffered a debilitating neck injury. After several surgeries to repair the damage and months of painful rehabilitation, Roberts set his sights on a comeback. In 1997, Hurricanes general manager, Jim Rutherford decided to take a chance by signing the unrestricted free agent to a contract. Roberts did not disappoint as he registered twenty goals and twenty-nine assists for forty-nine points.

After reestablishing himself as one of the league’s premier power forwards, Roberts was hit with another major injury. At the end of the 2001-2002 campaign, Roberts required double shoulder surgery to repair the damage his shoulders had sustained throughout the season and the rigorous playoff run his Maple Leafs had been on. Again Roberts went through several months of painful rehabilitation to get his shoulders back to the level they needed to be at in order for him to be effective at the National Hockey League level. Early on in his recovery, he could barely get enough strength to lift himself out of bed. However, Roberts, once again, showed his remarkable determination and made his return to the Maple Leaf lineup in late February scoring five goals and registering three assists in the final fourteen games of the season.

This season Roberts is on pace for twenty nine goals and fifty one points. His appearance at this season’s all star classic will definitely be something that will be looked back on as a remarkable achievement after the two serious injuries he has dealt with through his career.