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    Report: Jonathan Toews out of NHL All-Star Game; Alex Ovechkin to follow?

    By Greg Wyshynski | Puck Daddy – Mon, Jan 23, 2012 11:45 PM EST

    Getty ImagesChicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews will miss Tuesday night's game against the Nashville Predators with a left arm injury, traced back to a slash from Florida defenseman Erik Gudbranson on Friday.

    His coach Joel Quenneville said Toews was "unlikely" to participate in the NHL All-Star Game this weekend in Ottawa. TSN's Bob McKenzie reported on Monday night that Toews has been ruled out of the game.

    Alas, no defending his shot accuracy title in 2012, which he won in that controversial "do over" in Raleigh last year. (As controversial as a skills competition can get.)

    Who replaces Toews? The warring factions of Team Scott Hartnell and Team James Neal are already preparing for their "Gangs of New York"-style brawl. (Team Loui Eriksson awaits word on Jamie Benn.)

    Or maybe they both get in. That's because McKenzie and Darren Dreger of TSN are speculating that Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, who was suspended by the NHL for three games on Monday after "launching" himself into Zbynek Michalek, will skip the All-Star Game. (Paul Kukla has their comments.)

    Ovechkin is eligible for the All-Star Game despite the suspension. From Capitals columnist Mike Vogel of Dump 'n Chase, who hopes Ovie opts out of the game:

    Naturally, the league wants Ovechkin to play in the All-Star game. Me, I wonder why he should.

    He is suspended without pay. He was not voted into the All-Star game by the fans. He is currently tied for 36th in the league in scoring and was quite clearly named to the game for his star appeal more than his 2011-12 résumé.

    Ovechkin was quoted as saying that he had to cancel vacation plans when he was somewhat surprisingly named as an all-star anyway, so now that he is suspended without pay, why shouldn't he be able to do as he was planning on doing, do what most NHL players do during the break.

    Dreger doesn't expect the NHL to discipline Ovechkin if he pulls out of the game.

    So for all you All-Stars that have games this week and want out of your obligations: Just slam-dance some dude's noggin against the glass. It'll cost you some dough but hey, you get to sleep in your own bed this weekend! And -- bonus -- you're rich and can afford the hit!

     

    16 comments

    • A Yahoo! User  •  4 months ago
      "Alas, no defending his shot accuracy title in 2012, which he won in that controversial "do over" in Raleigh last year."

      Daniel Sedin won the shot accuracy title. Toews wasn't even in the final round.
    • Knuckle Sandwich
      Knuckle Sandwich  •  Centro, Mexico  •  4 months ago
      Ovechkin probably has a bonus worked into his contract for playing in the all-star game. That would make it worth his time to go.
    • JW
      JW  •  Gainesville, Florida  •  4 months ago
      Ovechkin comes off as a whiner here. He's probably better off swallowing his pride, and taking part in the ASG weekend.

      He'd have a lot more leverage if he was scoring a point a game for a first place team.
    • Johnny_Spectacular
      Johnny_Spectacular  •  Ottawa, Canada  •  4 months ago
      Lidstrom and Selanne opting out made sense - they did their bit as faces of the league. If Ovie wants to play the role of NHL Superstar than put the effort in. If he were to skip for the reasons outlined in the article quoted, that's just being spoiled and biting the hand that made you a multi-millionaire.
      • MacLeod
        MacLeod 4 months ago
        Thanks Johnny, for perfectly illustrating the reason why Ovechkin should stay the hell away from Ottawa this weekend.
      • Johnny_Spectacular
        Johnny_Spectacular 4 months ago
        Because...I disagree with the sentiment? He is a very well reimbursed employee of the NHL and one of their central marketing tools. While nothing is confirmed one way or the other on what he'll do, I would be disappointed to see him skip out in a fit of pique over being suspended, because the money he's made off of his name alone far outstrips three games pay - and guess who made him a name?
      • feeya7
        feeya7 4 months ago
        Who made who a multi-millionaire? Because it seems like the NHL is the petulant child that needs Ovechkin to market for them. Its the NHL that needs Ovechkin, not the other way around.
    • dragon13
      dragon13  •  Gambrills, Maryland  •  4 months ago
      Ovi#$%$ was bad. Michalek#$%$ on Hendricks was worse. He meant to hit Hendy's head and admitted it. Ovi has a sit down, Michalek walks away with a smile. Hard not to have a bad feeling about that,eh?
      • JW
        JW 4 months ago
        Michalek never stated that he targeted Hendrick's head--he just admitted it was the end result, and was deserving of the 2 minute penalty.

        Shanahan seems to have some of the same inconsistencies as Campbell, but there is enough smoke to suggest that past reputation plays a part in whether an incident is suspension-worthy or not. Ovechkin has been involved in quite a few controversial/dirty hits in his brief career, while Michalek has kept his nose clean (as far as I can tell). So Alex gets a suspension, and Michalek gets the benefit of the doubt (this time).

        If it makes you feel better, Matt Cooke would have been suspended for longer than 3 games if he had been the one to elbow Hendricks in the head.
    • Silver Seven
      Silver Seven  •  Montreal, Canada  •  4 months ago
      Im going to the All-Star game in Ottawa and having Selanne and Lidstrom not want to go is one thing. Having Crosby injured and now Toews is another thing. I agree that statistically Ovechkin is not worthy of a spot in the game but I'd much rather watch him than Scott Hartnell for the purpose of an All-Star game. Make him go.
      • FavreRules
        FavreRules 4 months ago
        Good for you...you are from Montreal, so no one cares what you want...
      • Silver Seven
        Silver Seven 4 months ago
        and you're from a town with zero sports affiliation, except for the IceDogs, yeah I bet that gets real exciting
      • Steve C
        Steve C 4 months ago
        Exactly, it's not a "you're having a good season game" it's an "all-star game". Ovechkin = allstar. Hartnell = well... whatever you want
    • stickyboul
      stickyboul  •  4 months ago
      it's a shame that he was in to begin with... while WAYYY more deserving players James Neal and ridiculously hot Scott Hartnell miss their first opportunities to be All Stars. Why do 6 year olds (and homer fans with the mindset of 6 year olds) comprise of the fan vote anyway? Laviolette said the other day Hartnell being snubbed is "criminal" and I agree.
      • hatfield223
        hatfield223 4 months ago
        Bottom line is that he's the biggest star in the league now that Crosby's out. Not the best player (since 2010), mind you, but certainly the most recognized name. If the NHL or NBC is at all interested in attracting casual fans to watch the ASG, it makes very little sense to exclude him in favor of a Scott Hartnell.
      • stickyboul
        stickyboul 4 months ago
        If the league is bent on viewership and RATINGS ahead of disgruntling the true NHL fan base then yes I agree with what you said.
        He SHOULD go if he was selected... I'm saying its a shame that Neal and Hartnell, having much better seasons statwise and otherwise, would die to be there for the first time (Hartnell just got selected btw)..while this underachiever is pandering about on a sit and spin on whether or not he will even show up
    • MacLeod
      MacLeod  •  4 months ago
      I can't wait to watch the "obligation" weekend that features no Crosby, no Toews and no Ovechkin. Sigh.
    • John
      John  •  New York, New York  •  4 months ago
      The NFL does many things right (well, aside from the new overtime rules....those are crap). Thier All-Star game is one of them...

      ....have it at the end of the season.

      Cane, Ovie and probably a few others would be more willing to attend if it came AFTER the playoffs!! They don't want to play because there's no benefit in it for them and is a complete waste of time!! The NHL figured this out years ago and put thier game after the real season was over.

      The NHL should do the same thing. The regular season is long enough as it is!! Moving the All-Star game out of the regular season would be a boon to everyone.
    • Sir Boogiewoogie
      Sir Boogiewoogie  •  Toronto, Canada  •  4 months ago
      If i was Ovie i would go. It would be fun to play, good to represent your team, and show the fans your endeavour of being there for them. If you go to a vacation instead and snob the all star weekend what would people say? It would make him the bad guy. But that's okay too cause we need people like Ovie. We need people like him so that we can point our f*%#ing finger and say that's the bad guy.
      • Vincent
        Vincent 4 months ago
        If you're looking to make him into a "bad guy", Mission Accomplished. He should give the NHL the rhetorical middle finger and skip.
      • hatfield223
        hatfield223 4 months ago
        'Scarface' reference?

        The NHL needs to stop looking for narratives to sell its game. 'Good guys', 'bad guys', the way the hacks on NBC play it all up....just looks cheap and desperate. Hockey deserves better.
      • The Cat
        The Cat 4 months ago
        Perfect.
    • The Drizzle
      The Drizzle  •  Sunnyvale, California  •  4 months ago
      saves us the trouble of watching some lame shootout scheme that he fails at, but still wins MVP.look, sparklers , YEEEEAAAAAAYYYYY!!!!
    • FavreRules
      FavreRules  •  Mississauga, Canada  •  4 months ago
      Ovi just knows if he goes there is a good chance he is picked last, and he doesn't want to be embarressed after last year
    • ERICOSU
      ERICOSU  •  Columbus, Ohio  •  4 months ago
      Ovi skipping the All-Star Weekend, yep still a douche.
    • Ahsan
      Ahsan  •  Toronto, Canada  •  3 months ago
      why was ovi named to the all star game? seriously? what about backstrom? hes had a better season than ovi
    • uh.... Erik
      uh.... Erik  •  Los Angeles, California  •  4 months ago
      Ovi should go, but just hit everyone in sight during the game.
    • hatfield223
      hatfield223  •  4 months ago
      Ovechkin can't win. If he goes, he'll be laughed at, told he's undeserving, told he shouldn't be playing while serving a suspension. If he stays home he'll be accused of pouting. The Canadian hockey media will find some way to continue painting him in a negative light.
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