Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury was added to the roster for the 60th NHL All-Star game, the league announced on Thursday.
“It’s always an honor when you get a chance to go be with these guys, so I’m looking forward to it,” said Fleury.
After being left off the initial roster, the Penguins netminder was included as an injury replacement.
“I was a little disappointed at first,” he said. “I feel bad for Jimmy Howard going down hurt, but I’m happy that I got a chance to go.”
Howard, who was representing the Red Wings, is out with a groin injury and Nashville Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne will also miss the game after suffering a knee injury. Fleury, along with Jaroslav Halak of the New York Islanders, have been tapped as a replacements. The change gives the Penguins three representatives at the game. Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby were already selected for the squad. Fleury was previously an all-star in 2011.
Fleury was certainly deserving of an all-star selection, as he is currently fourth in the NHL with 22 wins, first with six shutouts, fourth in save percentage (.926) and fourth in goals-against average (2.16) amongst goaltenders with at least 20 games played. Fleury was deferential of the praise for his play this season.
“I think my teammates have been playing great in front of me,” said Fleury. “The new system, I think, has been helping a little bit, too. I guess I’m getting a little older, a little more experienced, so more calm. It’s been going all right.”
The all-star game will be held at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio on Sun., Jan. 25, 2015 at 5:00 p.m. with the always-popular skills competition taking place the evening before at 7:00 p.m.
The game will follow the same format as 2012’s, where captains for each squad will choose their teams from the pool of selected players, so the three Penguins representatives may not end up on the same squad. The draft will be held Friday, Jan. 23 at 8:00 p.m. All of the all-star events will be televised on NBC Sports Network.
Photo credit: ESPN
