NHL all-star rosters: Kessel lone Leaf, Subban and Karlsson snubbed
Phil Kessel, Carey Price and Bobby Ryan got the call. P.K. Subban and Erik Karlsson did not.
Kessel, the Leafs’ leading scorer, plus Canadiens goalie Price and Senators winger Ryan were among 42 players named to participate in the Jan. 25 NHL all-star game in Columbus. Each Canadian team has one representative, with Subban not making the cut.
Ryan is going for the first time, along with Mark Giordano of the Calgary Flames, Radim Vrbata of the Vancouver Canucks and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins of the Edmonton Oilers.
“I thought there was a good chance that I’d probably go, but you never know right to the end,” Giordano said before the Flames’ game in Vancouver. “I’m kind of excited to see what it’s all about.”
Said Ryan: “I think everyone who is on the ballot always wants to get that one opportunity and it came this year. I’m excited. It’s going to a great weekend.”
Kessel was named to his third allstar game, Dustin Byfuglien of the Jets his second. Byfuglien was picked as a defenceman, moving back to that position this season.
Six players voted in by the fans were announced earlier: Zemgus Girgensons of the Sabres and five Blackhawks: Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Corey Crawford.
Left out of the mix was Subban, the 2013 Norris Trophy winner who’s considered one of the most exciting playmakers in the league. The all-star game seems built for his style, but the NHL had a tough squeeze to get every team at least one player.
Nugent-Hopkins was looking forward to the loose game.
“It’s just a fun game. Guys are just going out there having fun moving the puck around and trying to run up the score as much as possible,” he said in Edmonton.
Hart Trophy winner Sidney Crosby is set to make his first appearance since 2007, joined by Penguins teammate Evgeni Malkin. Crosby was chosen four previous times but did not play because of injury.
A few of this year’s MVP candidates — Tyler Seguin of the Dallas Stars, Roberto Luongo of the Florida Panthers and Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators — will be there.
The league’s leading scorer and only player with 50 points, Jakub Voracek of the Philadelphia Flyers, returns to Columbus where he spent his first three NHL seasons with the Blue Jackets. Former Blue Jackets star Rick Nash, who has 25 goals for the New York Rangers, will have a homecoming, as well.
Every NHL team was represented, though within hours of the announcement Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard was taken off the ice in Washington with a groin injury.
This is the first all-star game since 2012, because of the 2012-13 lockout and 2014 Winter Olympics.