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Jake Gencel Photo: Pittsburgh Penguins
Steven Stemcoss, Nazem Kadri, Jake Gencell and Troy Terry have been the last players in the National Hockey League (NHL) All-Star Game in early February.
The selection of the line-up for the star game ended with a fan vote in which hockey players from four divisions were selected. In the metropolitan division, fans have selected New York Rangers center striker Mike Zibananad, but for personal reasons he will not take part in the star game, so second-place Gencel from Pittsburgh Penguins will be able to play in the sample match. The NHL All-Star Game and related events will take place on February 4 and 5 in Las Vegas, home of the Golden Knights.
The Atlantic division will be captained by Maple Leafs in Toronto, Neitan McKinon in the Central Division (Avalanche in Colorado), Alexander Owchkin in the Washington Capitals, and Conor McDeedon in the Pacific Division. Four-division teams will compete in the All-Star Game, competing in the “three-on-three” format, which was first introduced in the NHL All-Star Game in Nashville in 2016.
Zemgus Girgensons, a Latvian striker representing the Buffalo “Sabers” team, convincingly won the 2015 NHL All-Star Game vote, thanks to the activity of Latvian hockey fans. Before that, one of the Latvian hockey players had participated in the NHL All-Star Game in 2003, when Sandis Ozoliņš did it for the seventh time. Artūrs Irbe has also participated in this match twice.
NHL All-Star Team Compositions
Atlantic Division: Attackers – Drake Betherson (Ottawa Senator), Patrick Berzerson (Boston Bruins), Jonathan Iberdo (Florida Panthers), Dylan Larkin (Detroit Red Wings), Auston Maple Leafs ), Stephen Stemcos (Lightning in Tampa Bay), Nick Sazaki (Montreal Canadiens); protectors – Rasmus Dalin (Buffalo “Sabers”), Victor Hedman (Tampa “Lightning”); goalkeepers – Jake Campbell (Toronto “Maple Leafs”), Andrejs Vasilevskis (Tampa “Lightning”).
Central Division: Attackers – Kill Connor (Winnipeg Jets), Alex Debrinkat (Chicago Blackhawks), Nazem Kadri, Neitan McKinon (both Colorado Avalanche), Cyril Capriz (Minnesota Wild), Clayton Keller (Arizona) Coyotes), Jordan Curle (St. Louis Blues), Joe Pavelsky (Dallas Stars); guards – Keil Macar (Avalanche, Colorado); goalkeepers – Jesse Saross (Nashville Predator), Chem Talbot (Minnesota Wild);
Metropolitan Division: Forwards – Sebastian Aho (Carolinas Hurricanes), Claude Girou (Philadelphia Flyers), Jake Gencell (Pittsburgh Penguins), Jack Hughes (New Jersey Devils), Chris Crawlers (New York Rangers), Alexander Owechkin (Washington, DC); defenders – Edam Fox (Rangers of New York), Edam Peleh (Islanders of New York), Zex Verensky (Blue Jackets of Columbus); goalkeepers – Frederick Andersen (Carolina Hurricanes), Tristens Jerry (Pittsburgh Penguins);
Pacific Division: Attackers: Leon Draizaitl, Connor McDeight (both Edmonton Oilers), Jordan Eberle (Seattle “Kraken”), Johnny Goodro (Calgary “Flames”), Eidren Campe (Los Angeles Kings), Timo Maier ( San Jose (Sharks), Mark Stone (Vegas Golden Knights), Troy Terry (Anaheim Ducks); guard – Alex Petrangelo (Golden Knights of Vegas); goalkeepers – Thatcher Demko (Vancouver Canucks), John Gibson (Anaheim Ducks).
