Action Figure News

McFarlane Toys has released photos of their NHL 2009, Wave 1 Sports Picks lineup. This series features the Sports Picks debuts for a pair of young stars, new sculpts for a quartet of elite players, and brand new uniforms for a pair of talented veterans.

ALEX TANGUAY - Montreal sent a first, second, and fifth-round pick to Calgary in exchange for Tanguay this off-season, but Alex didn't wait long to pay dividends. With seven goals and 15 points in his first 13 games, Tanguay is helping lead the Canadiens towards the playoff in their Centennial season.

ROBERTO LUONGO 3 - Vancouver honored their standout goalie this off-season, by making him their team captain. Goaltenders are prohibited from wearing the captain's "C" on their jerseys, so Luongo put it on his mask (check out the chin). With five shutouts in his first 15 games, Captain Luongo is at the top of his game.

SIDNEY CROSBY 3 - 71,127 hockey fans braved the cold and a few snow flurries at the 2008 NHL Winter Classic - the first NHL game ever played outdoors in the United States. Buffalo and Pittsburgh remained deadlocked at one as overtime expired - setting the stage for a heart-stopping shootout in front of a massive international television audience. With the game on the line, Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby squeezed a shot past Buffalo's Ryan Miller, earning a 2-1 shootout victory in one of the most memorable games in recent NHL history.

SHELDON SOURAY - Souray's first season in Edmonton was dulled by a serious shoulder injury. The talented defenseman has returned this season with a vengeance - scoring five goals with seven assists in his first 14 games to already eclipse last season's totals. The Oilers franchise is celebrating their 30th anniversary this season, and commemorating the event with throwback jerseys from the days of Gretzky, Fuhr and Messier.

CAREY PRICE - Pressure? Try playing goal for the NHL's most storied franchise as a 20-year-old rookie! Price shined during his rookie campaign, turning in a 24-12-3 record while helping Montreal to the playoffs. For an encore, the goalie phenom is back - delivering seven wins in his first 10 starts as Montreal eyes a Stanley Cup run in their 100th season.

PAUL STASTNY - With 78 and 71 points in his first two seasons, Colorado's Paul Stastny has established himself as one of the premier young stars of the NHL. Nearly 150 points scored in your first two NHL seasons would satisfy most players, but Paul's got big skates to fill: his father Peter tallied 248 points in his first two seasons with Quebec.

MATS SUNDIN 3 - With 1,321 points Mats Sundin ranks 30th all-time among NHL players. His dynamic style dazzled fans, teammates and opponents for 17 seasons. After his contract with Toronto expired this summer, Sundin returned to his native Sweden. He hasn't announced plans for a return or for retirement, so fans worldwide are keeping their ears open about developments regarding one of the game's all-time best players.

JASON SPEZZA 2 - Spezza has established himself as one of the NHL's most consistent players, and delivered career bests with 34 goals and 92 points last season. Still, the Senators' playoff run was shorter than they expected, leaving Spezza and Co. focused on a return to the Stanley Cup Finals this year.

NHL 2009, Wave 1, is scheduled to hit shelves in March 2009.

Click here to see NHL 2009 Wave 1.