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 a Detroit side captained by the legendary Steve Yzerman and backstopped by perennial All-Star and future Hall of Famer Dominic Hasek. The Canucks fell in six games, despite winning the opening two games of the series. 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.