The NHL All-Star Game roster is out, and three Bruins players have been selected for the midseason exhibition in Ottawa.
Tim Thomas had already been selected to his fifth All-Star game by fan votes. Joining him will be Bruins captain Zdeno Chara and 19-year-old star-in-the-making Tyler Seguin, who were both named as part of the contingent headed to Scotiabank Place.
Patrice Bergeron was expected in many corners of the NHL to make his first trip to All-Star weekend given the excellent all-around season hes enjoying in Boston, but he was not selected.
Seguin leads the Bruins with 17 goals and 38 points. He leads the entire NHL with a plus-33 in his second pro season. Bergeron, on the other hand, is on pace for 23 goals and 76 points while winning nearly 60 percent of his face-offs and gaining ever-growing support for his candidacy for the Selke Trophy at seasons end.
Bergeron could still be selected if there are injuries leading up to the All-Star game, but it appears his best shot would have been in the fan voting. However, Ottawa fans stuffed the ballot boxes in order to get four Senators players invited to All-Star weekend, snubbing Bergeron.
In a development that may have Bs fans up in arms about Bergerons absence, much-maligned former Bruins defenseman Dennis Wideman was among the select group of players tapped for All-Star Game. It will be interesting to see if Chara and Wideman end up in a pairing together.
The weekend has been a busy one for Chara in particular over the last few seasons as he has won the Hardest Shot Competition in the last four All-Star Game Skills Competitions.