The roster of 42 players who will take part in the NHL All-Star game was announced this week, but in a new twist this year, the teams have yet to be determined. Instead of East vs. West or North America vs. the World, the players will select six captains (two forwards and a defenseman per team) and they will choose sides fantasy-draft style.

Click here for a look at all 42 players and 12 rookies selected to participate during All-Star weekend

In a normal game, the captain wears many hats – the leader, the motivator or the mouthpiece – but in this game, the guys wearing the C, and presumably the A, will actually determine the entire game, from matchups to style of play.

The question remains: Who will those captains be? And perhaps more intriguing: Will they stick with their teammates (or family members in some cases) or will rivals become linemates for one afternoon in Raleigh?

A few players stand out as near locks to receive a letter on their jersey:

Sidney Crosby – C Pittsburgh – Crosby, the game's leading scorer, is perhaps the most well-known player in the game. The 23-year-old Penguins captain already has an MVP award, a scoring title, a gold medal and a Stanley Cup Championship under his belt.

Eric Staal – C Carolina – Staal is currently eighth in goals and 13th in points but more importantly, he's the Hurricanes captain and the game's being played in Raleigh. Staal, 26, a former All-Star MVP, also has a gold medal and a Stanley Cup.

Jonathan Toews – C Chicago – Another gold medal/Stanley Cup winner, but in Toews' case, he did both in a six-month span last year. The 22-year-old is the third-youngest captain in NHL history and it only took him 64 games to receive that honor from the Blackhawks.

Nicklas Lidstrom – D Detroit – A four-time Stanley Cup champion, an 11-time all-star and six-time Norris Trophy (best defenseman) winner, Lidstrom is still at the top of his game at the age of 40. In 2008, the Red Wings defenseman became the first European-born captain to hoist the Stanley Cup.

Others would make intriguing choices:

Alexander Ovechkin – LW Washington – The two-time goal scoring champion and league MVP is the made-for-TV rival of Sidney Crosby but his lack of playoff success keeps him short of the elite list of potential captains. If Crosby gets the nod and he doesn't, where he gets picked will be all the talk of the fantasy draft.

The Sedin twins – C (Henrik) and LW (Daniel) Vancouver – They were drafted together, signed and re-signed together and seem to always be on the scoresheet together. Henrik won the MVP and the scoring title last season with 112 points and both are in the top 5 for points this season. Could they possibly skate on opposite sides? We may find out.

Steven Stamkos – C Tampa Bay – The top pick in the 2008 Draft shared the Rocket Richard (most goals) Trophy with Crosby last season and trails only Crosby in goals this season. His ascension to the top of the league has the Lightning challenging for a division title.

Zdeno Chara – D Boston – The largest player in the league is a former Norris Trophy winner and a member of the Slovakian Olympic team. If the Bruins captain is not selected, he will be a very coveted pick to ensure a win in the hardest shot competition.

Evgeni Makin – C Pittsburgh, Duncan Keith – D Chicago and Kris Letang – D Pittsburgh – All three were selected by fans which would clearly push them up the list but none are captains of their respective teams and too much Chicago and Pittsburgh would decrease interest among fans in 28 other cities.

There is no telling how this will play out, but I see Staal and Lidstrom getting the Cs on their jerseys with Toews and Crosby going to team Lidstrom, and Chara and Sedin heading to the home team.

So, with his first pick, does Lidstom take one of Crosby's teammates – Letang or Malkin? How about one Toews' partners in crime – Keith or Patrick Kane? Maybe he grabs fellow Swede Daniel Sedin to keep him off his brother's team.

Speaking of brothers, does Eric Staal pick his brother, Marc, or maybe his goaltender Cam Ward No. 1? How about division rivals Ovechkin or Stamkos? Chara may want a beefy tag-team partner to patrol the blue line and pick up Dustin Byfuglien.

I'm sure I'm 100 percent wrong on these picks but stay tuned for a mock fantast draft once the real captains are picked. Team Toby Enstrom vs. Team Ales Hemsky would make for great TV too, wouldn't it?