Hartnell heading to All-Star game

January 24, 2012

phillygameday.com

His 25 goals are fourth most in the NHL, and after originally getting snubbed in the voting, Scott Hartnell will be going to Ottawa for the weekend.

The veteran forward is having a career year, with 44 points, but did not make the All-Star roster in the voting. Players like Washington's Alexander Ovechkin, who is not having as great a year as Hartnell, made it due to more popularity in the mainstream fan base.

Hartnell and the many fans who felt he was deserving of a spot, waited for about two weeks for a player to withdraw from the game, either to recover from an injury or other reasons.

On Tuesday it finally happened.

sports-at-work.com

Chicago's Jonathan Toews withdrew due to an upper-body injury, and the NHL's Disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan called Hartnell to tell him the news.

Ovechkin also dropped out of the game, due to a three-game suspension he received for leaving his feet to deliver a hit to Pittsburgh defenseman Zbynek Michalek, during Sunday's Capitals versus Penguins matchup.


Other All-Star game drop outs are Minnesota's Mikko Koivu and Winnipeg's Dustin Byfuglien due to injuries.

Hartnell will be joining his teammates Claude Giroux, Kimmo Timmonen, Matt Read, and Sean Couturier this weekend for the All-Star festivities.

This will be Hartnell's first All-Star game, and to that, I say congratulations Hartsy.