 The formation of Näslund's new line coincided with an eight-goal, 21-point effort over 14 games in January 2002, earning him NHL Player of the Month honours. He was later chosen to represent the World Team at the 2002 NHL All-Star Game in Los Angeles and scored the game-winning goal in an 8 – 5 victory over the North American team. The Canucks finished the season with the eighth seed in the Western Conference for the second straight year, resulting in a first-round playoff match-up with the Detroit Red Wings. It was Näslund's first appearance in the post-season since his initial year with the Canucks in 1996. He was limited to a goal and an assist as Vancouver was eliminated by Detroit in six games. In the off-season, Näslund received NHL First Team All-Star honours as the league's top left-winger. He also finished fifth in Hart Memorial Trophy balloting.
