Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (71) celebrates a goal in the second period against the New York Rangers on March 3, 2016. Crosby leads the NHL with 26 goals. Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI |
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NHL goal-scoring leader Sidney Crosby and teammate Evgeni Malkin of the NHL champion Pittsburgh Penguins head the 44-player congregation for this season's NHL All-Star Game in Los Angeles.
Crosby leads the NHL with 26 goals and was named the captain of the Metropolitan Division team. The other captains for the Jan. 29 game at the Staples Center are Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price (Atlantic), Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (Central) and Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid (Pacific).
The captains were chosen by fan voting and the other 40 players were selected by NHL Hockey Operations.
The game-day festivities will feature three 20-minute games. There are 11 players from each of the four divisions -- six forwards, three defensemen and two goaltenders.
Four Chicago Blackhawks are members of the Central Division team: forwards Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, defenseman Duncan Keith and goaltender Corey Crawford.
Three members of the San Jose Sharks, runner-ups in last season's Stanley Cup final, made the Pacific team -- forward Joe Pavelski, defenseman Brent Burns and goalkeeper Martin Jones.
Among the members of the Atlantic squad are forward Brad Marchand and goaltender Tuukka Rask of the Boston Bruins.
Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin is a member of the Metropolitan team along with Crosby and Malkin.
Subban has been sidelined since mid-December with a leg injury and may need to be replaced.
The coaches are Montreal's Michel Therrien (Atlantic), Minnesota's Bruce Boudreau (Central), Columbus' John Tortorella (Metropolitan) and San Jose's Peter DeBoer (Pacific).
ROSTERS
Atlantic
Forwards: Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay), Brad Marchand (Boston), Auston Matthews (Toronto), Frans Nielsen (Detroit), Kyle Okposo (Buffalo), Vincent Trocheck (Florida). Defensemen: Victor Hedman (Tampa Bay), Erik Karlsson (Ottawa), Shea Weber (Montreal). Goaltenders: Carey Price (Montreal), Tuukka Rask (Boston).
Central
Forwards: Patrick Kane (Chicago), Patrik Laine (Winnipeg), Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado), Tyler Seguin (Dallas), Vladimir Tarasenko, Jonathan Toews (Chicago). Defensemen: Duncan Keith (Chicago), P.K. Subban (Nashville), Ryan Suter (Minnesota). Goaltenders: Corey Crawford (Chicago), Devan Dubnyk (Minnesota).
Metropolitan
Forwards: Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh), Taylor Hall (New Jersey), Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh), Alex Ovechkin (Washington), Wayne Simmonds (Philadelphia), John Tavares (New York Islanders). Defensemen: Justin Faulk (Carolina), Seth Jones (Columbus), Ryan McDonagh (New York Rangers). Goaltenders: Sergei Bobrovsky (Columbus), Braden Holtby (Washington).
Pacific:
Forwards: Jeff Carter (Los Angeles), Johnny Gaudreau (Calgary), Bo Horvat (Vancouver), Ryan Kesler (Anaheim), Connor McDavid (Edmonton), Joe Pavelski (San Jose). Defensemen: Brent Burns (San Jose), Drew Doughty (Los Angeles), Cam Fowler (Anaheim). Goaltenders: Martin Jones (San Jose), Mike Smith (Arizona).
