Six players from the county were among those chosen by the elite hockey league
Russian hockey stars, including Alexander Ovechkin, have been selected from the NHL’s announced 32-man roster for its 2023 All-Star Game, to be held in Florida next month.
The league confirmed the first names Thursday after they were picked by the NHL’s Department of Hockey Operations. Twelve more players will be added to the rosters for the four championship decisions following a fan vote.
The six Russians already named include Washington Capitals star Ovechkin, who has been selected to the NHL’s centerpiece for the 13th time — a franchise record. Ovechkin, 37, continues to chase history this season after moving up to second on the NHL’s all-time scoring list behind only Wayne Gretzky.
Ovechkin scored again Thursday night in the Capitals’ 6-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The goal was the 809th of Ovechkin’s NHL career and his 29th of the season.
Ovechkin missed the last three All-Star Games he was selected for, retiring in 2019 and 2020 in favor of resting the rest of the season, and was ejected in 2022 after testing positive for Covid-19.
Elsewhere on the roster for 2023, Ovechkin was joined on the Metropolitan Division roster by Carolina Hurricanes Russian right forward Andrei Svechnikov and New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin, winner of the Vezina Trophy as the best goaltender in the NHL last season. Svechnikov, 22, was a first-time NHL draft pick for a season in which he has so far recorded 33 points in 38 games, as well as 78 hits.
In the Atlantic Division, Russian Nikita Kucherov will represent the Tampa Bay Lightning. Kucherov and his team lost a historic “treble” of Stanley Cup triumphs last season, falling at the last hurdle to the Colorado Avalanche. Kucherov, 29, continues to impress and has 54 points in 37 games so far this season. For Kucherov, this is a fourth All-Star selection.
Russia has two representatives on the Central Division roster. Left winger Kirill Kaprizov, 25, is having an impressive season at the Minnesota Wild, where he set franchise records with 22 goals and 47 total points. Kaprizov will be making his second straight All-Star appearance after making his debut last season.
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Russia’s Vladimir Tarasenko, 31, was also on the Central Division roster, but the St. Louis Blues right wing will likely be replaced after suffering a hand injury. However, Tarasenko was named to the All-Star Game roster for the fourth time, following selections in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
Under the NHL’s new format, the remaining 12 players for the All-Star Game — one goaltender and two skaters from each division — will be selected by fan vote. All-Star Weekend 2023 will take place February 3-4 at the FLA Live Arena, home of the Florida Panthers at Sunrise.
The action will include the NHL All-Star Game itself and an All-Star Skills competition. The All-Star Game will again be played in a 3-on-3 format, in a tournament featuring teams of 11 players from each of the league’s four divisions.
