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PHT’s selections for the 2022 NHL All-Star Game

nhl all star

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 12: Robin Lehner #90 of the Vegas Golden Knights wears a 2022 NHL All-Star logo patch in the third period of the Seattle Kraken’s inaugural regular-season game at T-Mobile Arena on October 12, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Golden Knights defeated the Kraken 4-3. The 2022 NHL All-Star Weekend will be held in Las Vegas in February 2022. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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The NHL has opened voting for the four captains who will lead their teams at the 2022 All-Star Game in Las Vegas. As they’ve done in the past, the four teams will be made up of the top players in each division. That means there will be some tough decisions to make in order to fill a roster as the league tries to have a representative from every team at the event. (This format leads to so many snubs it’s not even worth arguing about anymore.)

During the weekend of Feb. 4-5, the NHL will once again hold the Skills event on Friday night and the three-game, 3-on-3 tournament on Saturday evening at T-Mobile Arena. Voting runs through Jan. 8 and is for the four captains, but we decided to come up with our own rosters.

Below are the teams for each division as devised by the NHL on NBC Sports staff.

METROPOLITAN DIVISION

Sean Leahy, NHL writer

F - Alex Ovechkin, Capitals
F - Cam Atkinson, Flyers
F - Sebastian Aho, Hurricanes
F - Mathew Barzal, Islanders
F - Jake Guentzel, Penguins
F - Artemi Panarin, Rangers
D - Zach Werenski, Blue Jackets
D - Dougie Hamilton, Devils
D - Adam Fox, Rangers
G - Frederik Andersen, Hurricanes
G - Tristan Jarry, Penguins

It’s an All-Star Game, so you want as many stars possible. Ovechkin should make every team until he retires. The toughest player to leave off was Zdeno Chara, if only because the league has a silly policy of only including actual All-Stars in the Skills event. This could be Big Zee’s final season. We need one more Hardest Shot appearance from him.

James O’Brien, NHL writer

F - Alex Ovechkin, Capitals
F - Claude Giroux, Flyers
F - Sebastian Aho, Hurricanes
F - Mathew Barzal, Islanders
F - Jake Guentzel, Penguins
F - Artemi Panarin, Rangers
D - Zach Werenski, Blue Jackets
D - Dougie Hamilton, Devils
D - Adam Fox, Rangers
G - Tristan Jarry, Penguins
G - Igor Shesterkin, Rangers

With the time Sidney Crosby missed, Guentzel seems like the better fit. (Also, it kind of seems like Crosby, uh, doesn’t enjoy the All-Star experience anyway?) Tough to leave John Carlson and Evgeny Kuznetsov off this list as Capitals enjoying strong seasons, but the format forces some tough cuts.

Jake Abrahams, Managing Editor, NHL content

F - Alex Ovechkin, Capitals
F - Claude Giroux, Flyers
F - Sebastian Aho, Hurricanes
F - Mathew Barzal, Islanders
F - Jake Guentzel, Penguins
F - Artemi Panarin, Rangers
D - Zach Werenski, Blue Jackets
D - Dougie Hamilton, Devils
D - Adam Fox, Rangers
G - Tristan Jarry, Penguins
G - Igor Shesterkin, Rangers

I was a bit surprised that I only found space for one Hurricanes player on this roster, but maybe that’s a testament to how balanced their team is. Frederik Andersen probably deserves a spot, but Jarry and Shesterkin are putting forth Vezina-worthy seasons.

Adam Gretz, NHL writer

F - Alex Ovechkin, Capitals
F - Jesper Bratt, Devils
F - Claude Giroux, Flyers
F - Sebastian Aho, Hurricanes
F - Jake Guentzel, Penguins
F - Artemi Panarin, Rangers
D - Zach Werenski, Blue Jackets
D - Dougie Hamilton, Devils
D - Adam Fox, Rangers
G - Ilya Sorokin, Islanders
G - Igor Shesterkin, Rangers

The New York goalies should be regulars in All-Star Games for years to come. It was difficult leaving off Tristan Jarry and Ilya Samsonov, but the Islanders needed a rep and Shesterkin is just too good to keep home. Feel like the rest are mostly common sense picks. Hamilton and Fox are among the best in the league, Ovechkin, Panarin, and Guentzel are having great seasons.

Michael Finewax, NBC Sports Edge Senior Hockey Writer/Editor

F – Oliver Bjorkstrand, Blue Jackets
F – Alex Ovechkin, Capitals
F – Jesper Bratt, Devils
F – Claude Giroux, Flyers
F – Sebastian Aho, Hurricanes
F – Artemi Panarin, Rangers
D – John Carlson, Capitals
D – Kris Letang, Penguins
D - Adam Fox, Rangers
G - Frederik Andersen, Hurricanes
G – Ilya Sorokin, Islanders

Sorokin has been the best Islander this season and Giroux has done the job for the Flyers. It was hard leaving Igor Shesterkin and Ilya Samsonov off the team but the Isles needed a player.

Maple Leafs

Claus Andersen/Getty Images

Getty Images

ATLANTIC DIVISION

Sean Leahy, NHL writer

F - Brad Marchand, Bruins
F - Nick Suzuki, Canadiens
F - Steven Stamkos, Lightning
F - Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
F - Kyle Okposo, Sabres
F - Brady Tkachuk, Senators
D - Charlie McAvoy, Bruins
D - Aaron Ekblad, Panthers
D - Moritz Seider, Red Wings
G - Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning
G - Jack Campbell, Maple Leafs

If we didn’t have the “every team repped” deal, the Atlantic might have one of the better rosters. Instead, they may have to rely on their goaltending to get them through this tournament.

James O’Brien, NHL writer

F - Brad Marchand, Bruins
F - Nick Suzuki, Canadiens
F - Steven Stamkos, Lightning
F - Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
F - Jonathan Huberdeau, Panthers
F - Lucas Raymond, Red Wings
D - Aaron Ekblad, Panthers
D - Rasmus Dahlin, Sabres
D - Thomas Chabot, Senators
G - Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning
G - Jack Campbell, Maple Leafs

Bleh, this format is restrictive, and things only get rougher when every NHL team needs at least one representative. The extremes of the Atlantic are on display, as the Sabres, Canadiens, and Senators hoover up spots that should go to the likes of Victor Hedman and Charlie McAvoy. (Normally, I’d say just add some roster spots. Yet, with COVID, the All-Star weekend seems ill-advised in general. So instead I say less equals not as much stress.)

Jake Abrahams, Managing Editor, NHL content

F - Brad Marchand, Bruins
F - Nick Suzuki, Canadiens
F - Austin Matthews, Maple Leafs
F - Jonathan Huberdeau, Panthers
F - Dylan Larkin, Red Wings
F - Kyle Okposo, Sabres
D - Victor Hedman, Lightning
D - Aaron Ekblad, Panthers
D - Thomas Chabot, Senators
G - Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning
G - Jack Campbell, Maple Leafs

Snubs for Steven Stamkos and John Tavares, but that’s what happens when you need to find space for a player on the lowly Habs.

Adam Gretz, NHL writer

F - Brad Marchand, Bruins
F - Nick Suzuki, Canadiens
F - Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
F - Jonathan Huberdeau, Panthers
F - Lucas Raymond, Red Wings
F - Brady Tkachuk, Senators
D - Charlie McAvoy, Bruins
D - Aaron Ekblad, Panthers
D - Rasmus Dahlin, Sabres
G - Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning
G - Jack Campbell, Maple Leafs

Jack Campbell might be the biggest surprise, if only because he is showing his performance a year ago was no fluke. Dahlin and Suzuki satisfy the Canadiens and Sabres requirements. Raymond is one of two Red Wings running away with the Calder Trophy race and gets the Detroit edge over Moritz Seider.

Michael Finewax, NBC Sports Edge Senior Hockey Writer/Editor

F – Brad Marchand, Bruins
F – Nick Suzuki, Canadiens
F – Steven Stamkos, Lightning
F – Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
F – Victor Olofsson, Sabres
F – Brady Tkachuk, Senators
D – Victor Hedman, Lightning
D – Aaron Ekblad, Panthers
D – Moritz Seider, Red Wings
G - Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning
G - Jack Campbell, Maple Leafs

It was tough keeping Jonathan Huberdeau off the team but everyone, even the Sabres and Canadiens, needed to be represented. The Red Wings had a few players who were considered but Seider has been the best of the bunch.

wild

Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports

Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports

CENTRAL DIVISION

Sean Leahy, NHL writer

F - Mikko Rantanen, Avalanche
F - Nazem Kadri, Avalanche
F - Vladimir Tarasenko, Blues
F - Clayton Keller, Coyotes
F - Kyle Connor, Jets
F - Kirill Kaprizov, Wild
D - Seth Jones, Blackhawks
D - Roman Josi, Predators
D - Miro Heiskanen, Stars
G - Marc-Andre Fleury, Blackhawks
G - Juuse Saros, Predators

It’d be fun to have Nathan MacKinnon there, or reward Matt Duchene for a bounce-back season, or squeeze Connor Hellebuyck into the proceedings, but rules are rules, I guess.

James O’Brien, NHL writer

F - Nazem Kadri, Avalanche
F - Alex DeBrincat, Blackhawks
F - Jordan Kyrou, Blues
F - Kyle Connor, Jets
F - Joe Pavelski, Stars
F - Kirill Kaprizov, Wild
D - Cale Makar, Avalanche
D - Shayne Gostisbehere, Coyotes
D - Roman Josi, Predators
G - Connor Hellebuyck, Jets
G - Juuse Saros, Predators

In the Central, quite a few teams seem to get things done “by committee.” At least with the Avalanche slowed by early injuries. Aside: the alliterative opportunities of captain Kirill Kaprizov are something to be noted.

Jake Abrahams, Managing Editor, NHL content

F - Nazem Kadri, Avalanche
F - Patrick Kane, Blackhawks
F - Vladimir Tarasenko, Blues
F - Clayton Keller, Coyotes
F - Kyle Connor, Jets
F - Kirill Kaprizov, Wild
D - Cale Makar, Avalanche
D - Roman Josi, Predators
D - Miro Heiskanen, Stars
G - Juuse Saros, Predators
G - Cam Talbot, Wild

I couldn’t justify leaving Nazem Kadri off this team, even with how well the team’s other superstar forwards have played this year. Kadri has been that good. Also, props to Tarasenko for his impressive bounce-back season.

Adam Gretz, NHL writer

F - Mikko Rantanen, Avalanche
F - Nazem Kadri, Avalanche
F - Vladimir Tarasenko, Blues
F - Kyle Connor, Jets
F - Joe Pavelski, Stars
F - Kirill Kaprizov, Wild
D - Cale Makar, Avalanche
D - Shayne Gostisbehere, Coyotes
D - Roman Josi, Predators
G - Marc-Andre Fleury, Blackhawks
G - Juuse Saros, Predators

Lot of good players having great seasons left off the list here (Alex DeBrincat, Jordan Kyrou, Matt Duchene) and some big names (Nathan MacKinnon) but every team needs a rep, so Pavelski sneaks in for the Stars at forward, while you can not possibly leave off the Avalanche duo of Kadri and Rantanen for what they are doing this season.

Michael Finewax, NBC Sports Edge Senior Hockey Writer/Editor

F – Nazem Kadri, Avalanche
F – Patrick Kane, Blackhawks
F – Vladimir Tarasenko, Blues
F – Clayton Keller, Coyotes
F – Kyle Connor, Jets
F – Kirill Kaprizov, Wild
D - Cale Makar, Avalanche
D - Seth Jones, Blackhawks
D – Miro Heiskanen, Stars
G – Connor Hellebuyck, Jets
G – Juuse Saros, Predators

Ryan Hartman was a tough one to leave off the team, as was Mikko Rantanen but Keller needed a spot as I could not give it to Shayne Gostisbehere over any of Makar, Jones or Heiskanen.

mcdavid drainait

Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images

NHLI via Getty Images

PACIFIC DIVISION

Sean Leahy, NHL writer

F - Troy Terry, Ducks
F - Anze Kopitar, Kings
F - Max Pacioretty, Golden Knights
F - Jordan Eberle, Kraken
F - Connor McDavid, Oilers
F - Leon Draisaitl, Oilers
D - Quinn Hughes, Canucks
D - Alex Pietrangelo, Golden Knights
D - Erik Karlsson, Sharks
G - Thatcher Demko, Canucks
G - Jacob Markstrom, Flames

You cannot not have Connor and Leon together after how they’ve torn up the league over the first two months. In a perfect world we could include the other young Duck’lings in Trevor Zegras and Sonny Milano. It’d be fun to see those two in a Skills event, but we’ll have to settle for Terry’s shootout prowess.

James O’Brien, NHL writer

F - Troy Terry, Ducks
F - Johnny Gaudreau, Flames
F - Chandler Stephenson, Golden Knights
F - Anze Kopitar, Kings
F - Leon Draisaitl, Oilers
F - Connor McDavid, Oilers
D - Quinn Hughes, Canucks
D - Jamie Oleksiak, Kraken
D - Erik Karlsson, Sharks
G - John Gibson, Ducks
G - Jacob Markstrom, Flames

This all would’ve been much easier if Alex Pietrangelo wasn’t suffering through a quietly disastrous year (once you look beyond surface-level points). On the bright side, this opens up Stephenson to get credit for producing even with Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty missing time this season. The Kraken have a few solid candidates, but I went with Oleksiak, their team leader in GAR as of Dec. 14. (Plus, the makeup of Seattle is all about focusing on defense, so why not unleash a Kraken defenseman upon All-Star weekend?) If Jonathan Quick stayed hot but played more often, he’d be an even bigger threat to one of those two goalie spots.

Jake Abrahams, Managing Editor, NHL content

F - Troy Terry, Ducks
F - Mark Stone, Golden Knights
F - Chandler Stephenson, Golden Knights
F - Jordan Eberle, Kraken
F - Connor McDavid, Oilers
F - Leon Draisaitl, Oilers
D - Quinn Hughes, Canucks
D - Alex Pietrangelo, Golden Knights
D - Erik Karlsson, Sharks
G - Jacob Markstrom, Flames
G - Jonathan Quick, Kings

The home team always gets a little extra love, hence the three Golden Knights on this Pacific squad. Erik Karlsson and Jonathan Quick give this team a throwback feel.

Adam Gretz, NHL writer

F - Troy Terry, Ducks
F - Johnny Gaudreau, Flames
F - Connor McDavid, Oilers
F - Leon Draisaitl, Oilers
F - Anze Kopitar, Kings
F - Jordan Eberle, Kraken
D - Quinn Hughes, Canucks
D - Alex Pietrangelo, Golden Knights
D - Erik Karlsson, Sharks
G - Jacob Markstrom, Flames
G - John Gibson, Ducks

McDavid, Draisaitl, and Terry are the locks at forward, and Markstrom and Gibson are slam dunks in goal. Eberle becomes the Kraken’s first All-Star, and while Pietrangelo may not have been my ideal choice for the Golden Knights representative (I would have preferred Chandler Stephenson or Max Pacioretty) space got tight really quick at forward.

Michael Finewax, NBC Sports Edge Senior Hockey Writer/Editor

F – Troy Terry, Ducks
F – Johnny Gaudreau, Flames
F – Chandler Stephenson, Golden Knights
F - Leon Draisaitl, Oilers
F - Connor McDavid, Oilers
F – Timo Meier, Sharks
D – Alex Pietrangelo, Blues
D – Quinn Hughes, Canucks
D – Vince Dunn, Kraken
G - Jacob Markstrom, Flames
G - Jonathan Quick, Kings

Stephenson has been terrific for Vegas, especially in the absence of Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty for so much of the season. A waiver wire pickup two seasons ago from Washington, Stephenson has 29 points in 27 games. I couldn’t decide between a defenseman (Dunn) for Seattle or a forward like Jared McCann and Dunn won out.