Marc-Andre Fleury to sit out NHL all-star game to rest

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury will skip the upcoming NHL all-star game, choosing instead to rest and prepare for the remainder of the season.

Wasghington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin was the first player to decline an invitation to the Jan. 24-25 event in St. Louis.

Vancouver Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom was named to the Pacific Division roster in Fleury’s place and will make his all-star debut. In 28 games on the season, the 29-year-old has a record of 14-11-3, with a .917 save percentage and a shutout.

Any healthy player choosing to miss the all-star game will be suspended one game, but Fleury, 35, seemingly has the team’s support.

«While being named to the NHL all-star game is a tremendous honor, the Golden Knights and Marc-Andre Fleury have decided that Marc-Andre will pass on the invitation this year,» the team tweeted late Friday.

The veteran Fleury, who was the No. 1 overall selection of the 2003 NHL Draft, has a 17-8-3 record with a 2.76 goals-against average, a .912 save percentage and two shutouts.

All-Star Game rosters

Atlantic Division

Forwards:

  • Jack Eichel, Buffalo
  • Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay
  • Auston Matthews, Toronto
  • David Pastrnak, Boston
  • Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay
  • John Tavares, Toronto

Defencemen:

  • Thomas Chabot, Ottawa
  • Keith Yandle, Florida

Goalies:

  • Jimmy Howard, Detroit
  • Carey Price, Montreal

Metropolitan Division

Forwards:

  • Sebastian Aho, Carolina
  • Cam Atkinson, Columbus
  • Mathew Barzal, N.Y. Islanders
  • Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh
  • Claude Giroux, Philadelphia
  • Taylor Hall, New Jersey

Defencemen:

  • John Carlson, Washington
  • Seth Jones, Columbus

Goalies:

  • Braden Holtby, Washington
  • Henrik Lundqvist, N.Y. Rangers

Central Division

Forwards:

  • Patrick Kane, Chicago
  • Nathan MacKinnon, Columbus
  • Ryan O’Reilly, St. Louis
  • Mikko Rantanen, Columbus
  • Mark Scheifele, Winnipeg
  • Blake Wheeler, Winnipeg

Defencemen:

  • Miro Heiskanen, Dallas
  • Roman Josi, Nashville

Goalies:

  • Devan Dubnyk, Minnesota
  • Pekka Rinne, Nashville

Pacific Division

Forwards:

  • Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary
  • Clayton Keller, Arizona
  • Connor McDavid, Edmonton
  • Joe Pavelski, San Jose
  • Elias Pettersson, Vancouver

Defencemen:

  • Brent Burns, San Jose
  • Drew Doughty, Los Angeles
  • Erik Karlsson, San Jose

Goalies:

  • Jacob Markstrom, Vancouver
  • John Gibson, Anaheim

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