Boston’s Claude Julien will be your All-Star coach for the Eastern Conference All-Stars. The coaches for the game are determined by the best winning percentage at the midway point of the season. That means Julien gets the nod behind the bench as he has lead the B’s to 66 points at the half way mark. Todd McLellan of the San Jose Sharks will represent the Western Conference All-Stars behind the bench with a league leading 67 points at the mid point.

Julien’s assistant for the game will be none other than Montreal Canadiens coach Guy Carbonneau. Carbonneau beat out Washington Capitals’ coach Bruce Boudreau. Carbonneau and the Habs needed to beat Boudreau’s Capitals on Saturday night in order to get him in as coach. Montreal rallied for a 5-4 victory, thus placing their coach in the game.

With Julien coaching and Marc Savard, Tim Thomas, and Zdeno Chara participating, the B’s will be well represented in the game. The Bruins will also be represented well in the Young Stars Game. Milan Lucic will return to the game but as a member of the sophomore team this time. He will be playing against teammate and member of the rookie team, Blake Wheeler. Wheeler has tallied 13 goals and 14 assist in his first 42 games as a pro.

Skating with Wheeler will be Patrik Berglund (Blues), Mikkel Boedker (Coyotes), Drew Doughty (Kings), Michael Frolik (Panthers), James Neal (Stars), Luke Schenn (Maple Leafs), Steven Stamkos (Lightning), Kris Versteeg (Black Hawks), and goaltender Steve Mason (Blue Jackets).

Joining Lucic on the sophomore squad are Nicklas Baskstrom (Capitals), Andrew Cogliano (Oilers), Brandon Dubinsky (Rangers), Kris Letang (Penguins), Bryan Little (Thrashers), Mason Raymond (Canucks), Devin Setoguchi (Sharks), Marc Staal (Rangers), and netminder Erik Ersberg (Kings).

Saturday’s matinee showdown with the Hurricanes marked some firsts for some of the members of the Bruins. Forward Byron Bitz played in his very first NHL game and recorded an assist for his first NHL point. Also recording his first NHL point was forward Martins Karsums, which was also an assist. Both players were recent call ups from Providence when Vladimir Sobotka and Martin St. Pierre were sent down. Matt Hunwick registered a career first in the game as well. Except it wasn’t a goal or an assist, Hunwick squared off with Justin Williams for his first NHL fight. Hunwick dropped Williams in a two punch take down for his first 5 minute fighting major.  

The Bruins will most likely finish the year without the services of LW Marco Sturm.  Sturm will undergo surgery on Tuesday to repair meniscus and possibly the anterior cruciate ligament.  Sturm hurt the knee on a Dec. 18th game vs. Toronto. Sturm has seven goals and six assists in 19 games this season.

With Sturm likely out the remainder of the year, the B’s may look to add another wing. However, that wing will not be former New York Ranger Brendan Shanahan. Shanahan signed a one year deal with the team that originally drafted him, the New Jersey Devils.  

Some encouraging news for Bruins’ forward Patrice Bergeron came this weekend. Bergeron said he has no more head aches following another concussion.  "I’m very confident I will play this year," Bergeron said in the Bruins locker room as his teammates practiced at the TD Banknorth Garden. "It’s a matter of when." He still may be a couple of weeks away but encouraging news none the less.