The new format of the National Hockey League (NHL) All-Star Game, which requires at least one player to be selected from each formation, isn’t just making people happy. Some hockey players who deserve to be part of this classic will have to wait until next year.
The 2022-23 season is no different and the presence of the likes of Kevin Hayes, Brock Nelson, Seth Jones and Stuart Skinner may raise some questions. Here are eight other athletes who could have made the All-Star Game this season:
Cole Kaufield
Many Montreal Canadiens fans would have loved to see Caufield join Nick Suzuki in Florida as the NHL announced the winners before the diminutive forward was injured. He had several arguments. He’s an exciting young player who’s already backed by a legion of fans and he also has a knack for scoring goals. Caufield is 14th in the league with 26 goals in 46 games.
Charlie McAvoy
No defenseman within the Atlantic Division was invited to this All-Star Game. Charlie McAvoy, who has dominated with the Boston Bruins since returning to the game, could have been part of the squad. With 27 points in 32 games, the 25-year-old is the best quarterback at the Bettman Circuit.
Rasmus Dahlin
Dahlin, another Atlantic Back, is perhaps the most unlikely absentee from this edition. Of course, Tage Thompson fully deserved his nomination, but wrinkling your nose at the second-best scorer among defenders is a bold move. With 13 goals and 52 points, the Swede shows a statistic that could make many attackers jealous.
Steven Stamko
Steven Stamkos might have earned more in the CH section as well, although the selections of forward Nikita Kucherov and goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy for the Tampa Bay Lightning are logical. The captain is enjoying some of the best moments of his career and hit the 500 goal mark earlier this week. With 55 points in 45 games, Stamkos is second to Kucherov for the Bolts.
Jake Oettinger
There is no doubt that Jake Oettinger will be a star on the Bettman circuit for a long time to come and the 24-year-old goalkeeper has dominated for several seasons. The Minnesotan native showed maturity and composure that topped the charts and helped the Dallas Stars lead the Central Division with a .926 save percentage and 2.20 goals against the NHL’s second-ranked average in both categories. His 20 wins also put him fourth.
Vitek Vanecek
The metropolitan section was spoiled for choice when it came to goalies, and it’s Russia’s Igor Shesterkin and Ilya Sorokin who will defend the cage in the All-Star Game. At the New Jersey Devils, Vitek Vanecek is largely responsible for the surprising success of the team. The Czech won 18-5-2 with 2.37 goals against average and 0.914 saves.
Kyle Connor
As much as Connor Hellebuyck and Josh Morrissey are good picks for the Winnipeg Jets, pouting on Kyle Connor seems illogical. With 23 goals and 56 points, the winger shows star stats. Quebec’s Pierre-Luc Dubois would have been another good candidate, especially given that La Belle Province will not be represented in Florida.
Vince Dunn
Defenseman Vince Dunn’s stellar season goes under the radar for the Seattle Kraken, but the 25-year-old is showing some excellent stats. Not only did he accumulate 34 points (11th in the league among defenders), he also scored nine goals and maintained a +25 difference. Only one full-back was selected from the Pacific side, Erik Karlsson, who doesn’t stand out as much in defence.