Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin will miss the All-Star Game because of what’s described as “a lower-body injury that would be better served by rest”, the team announced.
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Capitals forward Evgeni Kuznetsov and Predators forward James Neal will replace Ovechkin and Toews this weekend.
“Jonathan will not participate in the 2016 NHL All-Star Weekend in Nashville”, team physician Michael Terry said in a statement.
Ovechkin and Toews by rule are suspended for the first game after the All-Star break, the same punishment the Pittsburgh Penguins accepted past year with Sidney Crosby.
It’s a somewhat surprising move by the Caps, particularly since Ovechkin hasn’t missed any previous on-ice time recently, particularly with the two postponed Washington games during Winter Storm Jonas.
“We believe it’s better if he uses this time to heal and ideally be completely healthy for the duration of the season”, Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan said. It’s also fitting that his first all-star game be in Nashville because one of his favorite American phrases is, “It’s not my first rodeo”.
Kuznetsov has registered 49 points (15 goals, 34 assists) in 47 games this season. I’ve skated every day since I was three years old to be one of them.
Ovechkin was to have been the captain of the Metropolitan division team that plays the Atlantic division in the opener on Sunday.
The John Scott NHL All-Star story just keeps getting better.
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Replacing Ovechkin as captain of the Metropolitan team will be John Tavares of the New York Islanders. “Sometimes I just feel not that bad and sometimes I feel bad and I just kind of settle down and sit on the bench and look at Trotz and say, ‘It’s not that good'”.
