Remi Poirier Should Be An AHL All-Star

(Credit: Andy Nietupski/Texas Stars)

This isn't going to be 10,000 words on the topic, but I wanted to get it on the record and out of my head before the announcement of who is actually selected comes through.

The Stars have had a surge of play recently, despite their last two game this week against Coachella Valley. Since their sweep of Milwaukee in December, Texas really turned things around. They started the season up to that point 8-13-3-1 and barely ambulatory in the race for a playoff spot. 

Since and including the sweep, they're 7-5, including the two rough games this week against CV.

A lot of things have gone right for them to get there. The power play is improved, for example. They're scoring more, etc. etc.

But the important thing to note is that there is no way, absolutely no way that the Stars make it to December 19th with those 8 wins and 4 OT/SO points without the stellar play of Remi Poirier.

This week he started to get his flowers in an official way with a recall to Dallas followed by a shutout of world-beating Grand Rapids and another win less than 24 hours later in Chicago.

If not for the Parking Spot sign, Poirier had a great chance last night to once again put a team that wasn't feeling it on his back and drag them through 60 for at least a point.

Poirier has played the most games of any goalie in the league to this point (25) and has faced the most rubber as well (692 shots against). He has 10 wins in those games despite the fact that Texas spent most of the season in last place on the power play and near the bottom on the PK. He's also pitching for a club that had given him nearly the fewest goals for in the league through much of the season. The Stars have the fourth fewest goals per game this year.

And so for all those reasons, Remi Poirier has earned a spot in the All-Star Game next month. Surely Sebastian Cossa has the first slot for the goalies in the Central Division. There's no question about that. But who is the second? An argument could be made for several different players, including former Star Matt Murray perhaps, but no goalie has carried his team and shoulder so much of the load as Poirier through the first half of the calendar.

I won't be surprised if he's not the selection. He's technically got a losing record as of today and players like Cameron Hughes (who has 31 points before anyone else on the team has achieved 20) or Matthew Seminoff (having a banner scoring year and gets extra points for being a prospect too) might be more deserving in the eyes of the league.

But the tip of the cap to his masterful efforts to keep Texas in the fight would be a nice bit of recognition for the French Canadian.

That being said, the leader in goalie games played so far this season probably also wouldn't mind a few days off, if given the chance. Cancun, anyone?