The NHL has revealed its rosters for the 2022 All-Star Game in Las Vegas, with some significant names missing from the teams.
The All-Star Game again will feature four divisional teams — Metropolitan, Atlantic, Central and Pacific — playing in a 3-on-3 tournament. It’s the first All-Star Game since the 2019-20 season, as last season’s edition did not happen due to the pandemic-shortened season.
The All-Star Game will be Feb. 5 (3 p.m. ET on ABC and simulcast on ESPN+), with the Skills Competition taking place the day before on Feb. 4 (7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN) from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Each team consists of 11 players. The initial 10 players for each team include a team captain as voted in by the fans and nine players selected by NHL Hockey Operations. The remaining player for each divisional team will also be voted in by the fans as the “Last Man In,” with the NHL having selected one for each team. Voting for the “Last Man In” runs through 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday.
Here are the 2022 NHL All-Star rosters:
Metropolitan Division
Forwards: Sebastian Aho, Carolina Hurricanes; Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers; Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils; Chris Kreider, New York Rangers; Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
Defensemen: Adam Fox, New York Rangers; Adam Pelech, New York Islanders; Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets
Goalies: Frederik Andersen, Carolina Hurricanes; Tristan Jarry, Pittsburgh Penguins
“Last Man In” ballot: Cam Atkinson, Philadelphia Flyers; Mathew Barzal, New York Islanders; Jesper Bratt, New Jersey Devils; Jake Guentzel, Pittsburgh Penguins; Evgeny Kuznetsov, Washington Capitals; Andrei Svechnikov, Carolina Hurricanes; Jakub Voracek, Philadelphia Flyers; Mika Zibanejad, New York Rangers
Atlantic Division
Forwards: Drake Batherson, Ottawa Senators; Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins; Jonathan Huberdeau, Florida Panthers; Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings; Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs; Nick Suzuki, Montreal Canadiens
Defensemen: Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres; Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
Goalies: Jack Campbell, Toronto Maple Leafs; Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning
“Last Man In” ballot: Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers; Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins; Lucas Raymond, Detroit Red Wings; Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning; John Tavares, Toronto Maple Leafs; Tage Thompson, Buffalo Sabres; Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators; Tyler Toffoli, Montreal Canadiens
Central Division
Forwards: Alex DeBrincat, Chicago Blackhawks; Kyle Connor, Winnipeg Jets; Kirill Kaprizov, Minnesota Wild; Clayton Keller, Arizona Coyotes; Jordan Kyrou, St. Louis Blues; Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche; Joe Pavelski, Dallas Stars
Defensemen: Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche
Goalies: Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators; Cam Talbot, Minnesota Wild
“Last Man In” ballot: Ryan Hartman, Minnesota Wild; Seth Jones, Chicago Blackhawks; Roman Josi, Nashville Predators; Nazem Kadri, Colorado Avalanche; Phil Kessel, Arizona Coyotes; Jason Robertson, Dallas Stars; Mark Scheifele, Winnipeg Jets; Robert Thomas, St. Louis Blues
Pacific Division
Forwards: Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers; Jordan Eberle, Seattle Kraken; Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames; Adrian Kempe, Los Angeles Kings; Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers; Timo Meier, San Jose Sharks; Mark Stone, Vegas Golden Knights
Defensemen: Alex Pietrangelo, Vegas Golden Knights
Goalies: Thatcher Demko, Vancouver Canucks; John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks
“Last Man In” ballot: Logan Couture, San Jose Sharks; Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings; Mark Giordano, Seattle Kraken; Jonathan Marchessault, Vegas Golden Knights; J.T. Miller, Vancouver Canucks; Darnell Nurse, Edmonton Oilers; Troy Terry, Anaheim Ducks; Matthew Tkachuk, Calgary Flames
Carolina’s Rod Brind’Amour, Florida’s Andrew Brunette, Colorado’s Jared Bednar and Vegas’s Peter DeBoer will coach their respective divisions in the All-Star Game.
The 3-on-3 format means it isn’t a traditional meritocracy All-Star selection process. Among the significant names missing from the All-Star rosters are Penguins star Sidney Crosby, Rangers winger Artemi Panarin and goalie Igor Shesterkin, Bruins leading scorer Brad Marchand, Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad, Maple Leafs forward William Nylander and defenseman Morgan Rielly, Predators forward Matt Duchene, Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko, and Kings leading scorer Anze Kopitar.
The NHL season will resume after the All-Star Weekend, as the league opted out of allowing its players to participate in the Beijing Olympics due to the disruption of its regular-season schedule by COVID-19. The NHL has postponed close to 130 games due to outbreaks on teams and Canada’s restrictions on arena capacity.
Despite the unique challenges of the schedule, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told ESPN that a player who is named to the All-Star Game roster but does not participate in the event must miss either one game before or after the All-Star break, as has been league policy for several seasons.