Joe Thornton centers the best fantasy line in the West, according to Scott Williams.

This week I'll have some fun and put together my Western Conference dream team lines. My choices are all based off of 2008-09 production. It is no surprise that 11 players from the top three teams in the conference: Detroit, San Jose and Calgary, made the list. The toughest position to choose from was goaltending where four netminders could have easily fit into my backup spot.

 

Line 1

LW- Mike Cammalleri, CGY (34-35-69, minus-1)

C- Joe Thornton, SJS (20-54-74, plus-20)

RW- Jarome Iginla, CGY (30-48-78, plus-4)

The surprise player here is Cammalleri. Playing alongside Iginla on Calgary's top line, the winger is having a breakout season and leads the NHL in power play goals with 17. Thornton is having another productive season and is again near the top of the league in assists. On the right side, Iginla is on pace to set a career-high for assists in a season. The three have collectively produced 24 points in March and are all in the top 15 in the NHL in power play points.

 

Line 2

LW- Daniel Sedin, VAN (25-38-63, plus-20)

C- Pavel Datsyuk, DET (25-54-79, plus-26)

RW- Marian Hossa, DET (34-27-61, plus-17)

Sedin is having one his best seasons as a pro while playing for a new contract. The veteran has the second best plus-minus rating among Western Conference left wingers. The two superstars from Detroit are an easy choice.

Hossa is the top goal scorer among NHL right wingers and Datsyuk is on pace to set a career-high for points in a season. The three are a combined plus-63.

 

Line 3

LW- Rick Nash, CBJ (32-33-65, plus-10)

C- Patrick Marleau, SJS (34-31-65, plus-21)

RW- Martin Havlat, CHI (21-36-57, plus-17)

Both Marleau and Havlat have resurrected their careers and are both integral parts to their teams' success. In his eleventh season, Marleau has already tied his career-high for goals in a season.

Havlat has been on fire with 15 points in his last 11 games. Nash played in his fourth all-star game this season and is one of the main reasons Columbus may make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

 

Checking Line

LW- Alex Burrows, VAN (19-17-36, plus-12, 107 penalty minutes)

C- Ryan Getzlaf, ANA (20-51-71, plus-3, 95 penalty minutes)

RW- Corey Perry, ANA (22-35-57, plus-7, 93 penalty minutes)

Getzlaf and Perry are first and second, respectively, in scoring for the Ducks while playing on Anaheim's top line. Burrows has already eclipsed his career-high for points in a season. The three are collectively averaging 1.5 penalty minutes per game.

 

Defense 1

Nicklas Lidstrom, DET (12-33-45, plus-23)

Brian Rafalski, DET (9-43-52, plus-12)

Lidstrom and Rafalski are once again playing together as Detroit's top defensive pair. While a combined plus-35, the two veterans are providing the Red Wings with a ton of offense from the blue line. The two have a combined for 12 goals and 52 points on the man advantage.

 

Defense 2

Duncan Keith, CHI (8-25-33, plus-28)

Dan Boyle, SJS (14-32-46, plus-10)

The Sharks added Boyle in the offseason to provide some offensive punch from their blue line and he has done just that. He is in the top ten among NHL defensemen in goals, points and power play points.

Keith is having a breakout season for Chicago. The fourth-year blueliner has already eclipsed his career high for points in a season and is first in plus-minus among Western Conference defensemen.

 

Defense 3

Shea Weber, NSH (17-24-41, plus-7)

Rob Blake, SJS (9-30-39, plus-18)

In his fifth season, Weber has become one of the top offensive-defenseman in the NHL. The 23-year-old is in the top ten among NHL defensemen in goals and shots.

In his first season with San Jose, Blake is a huge reason the Sharks have allowed the third fewest goals-per-game in the league. The veteran blueliner has also contributed to the second-best power play in the league with five goals and 19 points on the man advantage.

  

Starting Goalie

Mikka Kiprusoff, CGY (39-17-5, 2.78 GAA, .906 SV%, 4 SO)

While Kiprusoff has posted his highest goals-against-average since the 2002-03 season, he is still a lock to pile up a ton of wins. The veteran netminder has started 62 games and leads the league with 39 wins, seven more than the next-best total. Kiprusoff is a huge reason the Flames are the third seed in the Western Conference.  

 

Backup Goalie

Pekka Rinne, NSH (22-11-1, 2.27 GAA, .921 SV%, 6 SO)

A number of goalies including Evgeni Nabokov, Niklas Backstrom and Steve Mason deserve consideration for this spot. But Rinne has been incredible since taking over the starting job from Dan Ellis. The rookie netminder has started 21 of Nashville's last 28 games compiling a 14-6-1 record during that stretch. Rinne is tied for second in the NHL in shutouts, averaging one every 5.83 starts. Rinne is 6-1-0 in his last seven starts and is leading Nashville toward their fifth-straight playoff appearance.