Big day for Caps defenseman Dennis Wideman, who was selected for the NHL’s All-Star game. That’s a first for Wideman, a 28-year-old who was acquired via trade from the Florida Panthers at the trade deadline last year. But what was his reaction when general manager George McPhee called him with the news? Well, for a guy who has already been traded three times in his career, seeing the GM’s number pop up on your phone is a little disconcerting. Especially for a guy who wasn’t expecting to make the All-Star game at all.
“I wasn’t expecting to be going in or picked for All-Star game. I was pretty surprised I got the call from George,” Wideman said. “I think you guys all know, you’ve talked to George. He’s pretty even keeled. When he called me I was like ‘Oh, man. Where am I going now?’ But it was good. I was pretty excited and a little caught off guard and a little shocked.”
Wideman has eight goals and 21 goals this season. According to the web site Behind the Net, Wideman is fourth in quality of competition faced (0.336) among the seven Caps defensemen with at least 20 games played this season. Wideman ranks 10th overall on the team – third among defensemen – with a 2.44 goals/60 minutes when he’s on the ice. But only John Carlson (2.86) has a higher goals against/60 among the team’s defensemen than Wideman (2.84).
Wideman ranks fifth in the league among defensemen in points (29), is tied for fourth in goals (8) and tied for fifth in assists (21). He also leads the Caps in average ice time (24 minutes, 8 seconds). Twelve of his 29 points have come on the power play as Wideman has gone a long way in easing the loss of Mike Green, who has missed 31 games this season with groin and ankle injuries and was expected to shoulder much of that offensive load.
“The way the season ended last year I wasn’t sure how I’d respond to that injury,” said Wideman, who suffered a severe hematoma on his right thigh last March 29 that ended his season. “But the trainers here did a great job and I came back and I feel pretty good. Any time you get picked to be in the All-Star game it’s truly an honor. I’m really happy about it.”
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