Three named as reserves

No Kessell or Krejci???

No Phil Kessel?! A travesty. I expect to see him with Krejci and Wheeler in the Rookies vs. Sophomores game.

Kessell should be there too...

No Phil Kessel. Are you kidding me? All Star Game is a JOKE

NO KESS? The guy has 24 goals and had a great seat last night courtside at the C's game. What are they trying to keep the Boston numbers down in Montreal?

The all star game is a joke, let hope nobody gets hurt.

Of course there's no Kessel. With 700 Canadiens on the starting Roster and the need to get a representative from every team, many deserving players are going to be left out. And with all fairness, Fernandez has better numbers than Thomas and isn't going. It's really just a crapshoot.

Fans shouldn't be allowed to vote for all-starts in any sport. They make a travesty out of the process. Look at this year's starting lineups. Mike Komasarik - please!!!

The NHL obviously feels the All Star game is more about marketing & money than showcasing the best players at the mid-point of the season. The All Star game should be the best players THIS year ... not last year, not the past 5 years, not based on reputation or because every team needs to be represented.

Ilya Kovalchuk of the Thrashers has a +/- of -12 ... and 50% of his points have come on the power play, 50% ... that's a joke! The Thrashers suck & I'm sorry but no one on that team deserves to be an All Star ... same with Tampa Bay.

Montreal with 4 starters including Carey Price starting in goal??? What a farce! Take the voting away from the fans once & for all.

yah its sad Kessel didnt make it, but they have to invite someone from every team...I would blame the Canadian fans because Komisarek and Kovalev do not deserve to be in the game....they could easily replace them with Kessel and Mike Richards of Philly....Richards is one of the best centers in the game, offensively and defensively.....he should be there!!!!!

Komisarek has one goal and 2 assists....what about Dennis Wideman, hes one of the best. even Roman Hamrlik is having a better season...Mike Green from Washington is probably one of the best offensive Defensemen in the game, and hes not going...and Kimmo Timonen deserves it over Komisarek as well.......and Also Washington center Nicklas Backstrom.....but they all will probably be there in the future...

Id would of been great to have Krejci there, but i figured he wouldnt because this is really his first full season and its well known yet...but i think hes going to have a lot of All Star games under his belt in years to come, hes just an amazing player.

I think they need to change the rules of the all star game voting. they need to get rid of every team should be there and also need to come up with a better system because when Ovechkin isnt a starter, there is something really really wrong with the system....

Claude Julien is most likely the coach. As soon as the puck drops he should call a timeout and bench all the canadien "starters" except for Markov and put in the All-Stars! Send them home actually and try to get Kessel dressed for the third period.

Kessel wuz robbed.

Kessel's in his 3rd season, so I don't think he'll be playing in the Rookie/Sophomore game.

As has been noted, PK's absence, while deserving isn't that big of a suprise. Every team needs a representative and really there's no one among the forwards who I'd bump to make room for him. All very deserving, with the exception of Kovalev - but not much can be done about that - if the entire teams were picked by the league I would guess you wouldn't see Kovalev, Komisarek (the fact he was even on the ballot is a farce) or Price there ... but those are the breaks. And hey, it is in MTL and it is their big centennial so whatever ... its just the all-star game. No big deal

Couldn't agree more with the comments so far...Mike Komasarik, Kovalev, Markov...It's embarrassing...If your team is in last place you shouldn't have anyone on the roster unless voted in...Phil Kessel is one of the best players in the league this year and he will be at home....

In case you haven't ben following the all-star voting story, there was a java script posted on the Hab's fan forum that spammed the vote; the NHL shut it down but it was too late.

So definitely blame the Habs fans -- and the NHL, too: they should have wiped the voting clean and started over.

Johnny C, how can Kessel play in the Sophomore vs. Rookies game as a 3rd year player?

Kessel & Fernandez deserve, screw the Habs, let the coaches vote the all-star game!!

The &#@* Canadiens fans overwheled the system voting in their beloved "starters".

Habs fans and the NHL all star voting is to blame! The Bruins are number one in my heart!! Screw them eh!!

Who cares, its one game and it has little if any significance. The All Star game is strictly an ego-stroker and another money raising scheme by the system.

Who cares! Montreal may not even make the playoffs this year...the Bruins will have the last laugh :)

That's hilarious Bluefox70...
or better yet have the Canadiens players play the entire game ... especially Price, so he can face like 90 shots...

Kessel should be in this game. He is the top 5 in goals scored that should get him a spot.

Fernandez should be in over Thomas, his number are better than Tim's.

I am guessing that at least Krecji and Wheeler will be in the Rookie/Sophomore Game

I am not a hockey fan. Although the playoffs are occassionally entertaining. But this game, like the Pro Bowl, is a complete joke and worst yet, nobody watches this game. A few years ago, the ratings for the hockey all star game were lower than an episode of the Andy Griffith Show. Hockey is no longer one of the four major sports. College football, college basketball (especially the tournament), and golf dwarf this sport. At least half of the goals are pure luck and no skill. And they still don't know what to do for a proper overtime. Hockey needs to get its act together.

I will absolutely not watch the all-star game. Don't know why anyone would.

Kessel got robbed...And one can make a strong case for Krejci and even Wideman to some degree.

FWIW, Kovalev and Komisarek being voted in as starters is as big of a joke as the "Vote for Rory" campaign w/ Rory Fitzpatrick...

This is just another example of how fan voting ruins all star games. I'm not going to point fingers at cities or teams because Boston is just as guilty as stuffing the ballot box with hometown votes. This needs to stop. Fans rarely get an all star team right in any sport. It should be up to the players, GMs, sports writers, etc.. to decide who gets honored.

Hopefully Kessel, Krejci, and Wideman use this as fuel to their fire. Any one who thinks Komisarek should be an all star should rewatch B's vs. Habs games from this season, especially the blow out where Lucic stomped on Komisarek.

The Bruins were the only team (outside of the Penguins and Canadiens starters that were voted in) to have more then ONE player make it to the team, so quit whining about Kessel not making it and be glad with the guys you had make it. Washington and Philadelphia only had one player make it despite leading their divisions and I'd argue both Backstrom and Richards deserve a spot before Kessel does.

I have not watched an all star game in any sport for years. The players do care nonetheless, so logic prevails that the players or coaches should pick the all star teams. As for the Montreal scam.... they can watch the game. Go Bruins! The Cup is the real goal!

The All-Star game is a showcase of talent not a popularity contest. But without fan involvement no major league sport will survive. Make it fair and allow fans to vote but only 1 time. Then make fan votes count for 33% of the final vote, the players should each vote once for another 33% of the final vote, with sports reporters/analysists consisting of the final 33% of the overall vote. This will ensure that maybe a few van favorites get in but mostly it will be the best of the best...an actual game of all stars! I love hockey and I think the current method is ridiculous. Let's get the deserving players in the game!

i don't watch them either..it'sbeen years...it's all crap.. blah blah

Well put Jeff - completely agree.

As upset as i am that Kessel didn't make it, i think im more upset that not one of these guys were named a starter! The Bruins were the best team in the Eastern Conference for the entire first half, how are none of these guys starters!?!?

My bad about Kessel being a sophomore. Stupid mistake. Thanks for the corrections, JD and Matt.

It's too bad Krejci and Wheeler can't play on the same line in the Sophomore-Rookie game...

Way to shoot yourself in the foot, NHL. Yeah fan favorites should factor in, but everyone knows of the 4 starting Habs, one, MAYBE two even merit spots as reserves. You may as well just call it the NHL Canadiens Lovefest '09. For a league trying to regain some credibility, this doesn't really help.

Reserves, reserves that is what they are. And appropriately so. Just the fact that 3 made it should have satisfied a normal person. Patriots cheat, earn a super bowl. Montreal earns its home starters for their all star game on their 100th anniversary. Seems a little more reasonable. It's all good after the Habs own the west, they'll oust them out of the stanley cup finals once more.

Boston is not "just as guilty as stuffing the ballot box" in this case. Fans from some cities were using a java script to spam the NHL's website voting. The NHL closed the hole that allowed it, but didn't start the voting over, which meant that no one else could do the same and even the voting. Pens fans managed to get Malkin and Crosby in, but that's it.

The starters from BOTH all-star teams come from four teams, the best of which is in 4th place the last time I looked. No Red Wing, Shark, Cap, or Bruin made the starting lineup.

Imagine if Cleveland Indians fans managed to do the same thing, and 6 of the starting 9 were Indians.

there is no rookie - sophomore game. This isn't the NBA! It's just a rookie game.

Also, Kessel and Wideman are significantly better than Kovalev and Komisarek. The NHL lost a ton of credibility in my book for allowing the Montreal spammers.

Kess WILL be the only 50 goal scorer not there. He Will score 50 this season, I promise you that.
AJ Mahoney

Every year, every sport you can find guys who didnt make the AllStar game that really should have....my guess Kessel will make it once someone is declared injured...usually one or 2 guys gets injured before the game....So hopefully Kessel and Mike Richards from Philly make it....

I dont like the pick of Mike Modano or Keith Tkachuk either...they are having decent seasons, but the mainly made it because of their Veteran status...I mean Marian Hossa and Henrik Zetterberg should be there!!! they are 2 of the best in the entire world.....Modano and Tkachuk are at the end of the careers, they have been in plenty of AS games.....hopefully Hossa or Zetterberg wind up going because someone else cant make it...

Nice pic of the 3 black and gold boys on the front of nhl.com right now.

no axelsson! WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS DAMN LEAGUE. HOW CAN THE GREATEST PLAYER IN THE HISTORY OF THE BOSTON BRUINS NOT BE ON THE ALLSTAR TEAM.

Kessel should be there instead of Chara, who shouldn't even be there at all. He is the most over rated player in the league. Whooaa he is big. So what. If he is that big, he should be more physical. He has a hard shot. So what. When does he hit the net? He could have put won in the other night when the B's were all over minnesota in the final minutes of the game. What does he do? he hits the glass high and wide of the net. He cant make a break out pass to save his life either. And while Im at it, I would like to say that Sinden was dead on about Savard. Yeah he is good, but he is a modern day Craig Janney.

As I recall, Craig Janney was a fairly popular player 'round these parts, Bud. Helped the team make it to the Cup Finals. But I guess we wouldn't want to have players like that on the team. We're already overburdened by the mediocre talent that's on the ice, like Chara - whose name is once again being bandied about as a Norris candidate.... guess they're not watching the same guys you are.

I didnt say Janney wasnt good. I was saying that Sinden was right about Savard. Everybody jumped all over sinded when he called Savard soft. I didnt say Savard was bad either. But I did say Chara was over rated. How can you say he is a Norris candidate? If he is one of the best defensemen in the league, that just shows how far the talent level in the NHL has become watered down.

Thanks for your post.........ARTHUR! Nice name!

What a fantastic team we have this year! Kessel is one of the half dozen most exciting players in the league and clearly deserved to be an all star but I'll bet he'd rather win a Cup and this team is absolutely capable of doing so. Everyone on this team at one time or another has contributed in important ways and the obvious players -- Kessel, Krecji, Lucic, Savard, Axellson, Kobasew, Chara, Wideman, etc. etc -- have been fantastic. And when you have not one but two vy hot goalies on top of it all -- the sky is the limit. I was a kid when the greatest Oshawa General of all time came to town and I have to say this is just about as exciting as that.

Wow some of you are fools. You can complain about Montreal all you. Lets just say Kovalev did not make it and Ovechkin was voted starter like he should, that only leaves one forward spot open and that still does not put Kessel in over players like Backstrom or Jeff Carter...Also if you take out Komisarek that means one D spot is open and that would most certainly go to Mike Green...So even without Kovalev and Komisarek no Bruin would have been added in their spot...Every team needs to be represented so learn the rules!...Kessel & Wideman still would not have made the team!

Actually Carter did make the team. I am the fool now HaHa...But Kessel still would not have been added. He is having a great year but he was still behind a player like Backstrom or even Semin. If they did not have the dumb rule of every team needs to be represented he def. would be on the team...Bruins fans should have voted like Habs, Pens, Blackhawks, and Ducks fans...Cannot blame those fans for voting like Sox fans when they voted players like Damon, Tek as all-star members when others were more deserving right?...But I am sure Kessel will make plenty of All-Star games in the future so it is no big deal. Game is a joke like other sprts too

Savard has made some terrible passing attempts in the past few games... turning over the puck and creating chances for the other team & our defense has to hoof it back and collect the puck and dump it in. He seems to play a couple incredible games then 8 mediocre games where he gets away with half-assed blind passes.

Chara? He's a good defenseman & does have a pretty accurate shot, if you've ever played hockey you should know it's not easy hitting the net from the blue line with a slapper. Some guys make it LOOK easy. Wideman is more deserving of an All-star appearance this year. I'll be surprised if Kessel gets even 40 goals this season. Why? He's lost without a big winger to open up space for him. He's not physical enough to win battles in the corners - if he even goes to the corner. He's no Cam Neely, obviously, but he really only has one facet to his game. Hell, put Thornton on the first line!

hk, it was a bit of a misnomer, but the Rookies vs. Sophomores game is known as the YoungStars game. Apparently they took the NBA's idea and changed the name.

Here's the link, see for yourself.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=402156&navid=DL|NHL|AllStarGame2009

Joe, good point about the Sox All-Stars who didn't deserve it as much as others. We're definitely seeing that happen again in the NHL this season.

Another thought on the All-Star game for the Bruins... I am happy... the less we send, the less we stand of a chance injury to players who are so important to our success. I know, I know, it means money to them, negotiations, etc... but, I would hate to see an injury for a foolish game that has meant less and less as the years have gone by.
In my mind, ALL the Bruins this year are All-Stars, so, for me, I don't need a bunch of fools in Montreal to believe it too... they obviously don't and surprisingly have messed up a game in which they hold dear.... What a shame ( or should I say SHAM).

I know that it is asking too much for Savard, Chara, or Thomas to refuse to play(they deserve it and the money is too good)but for not including Kessel? I love watching hockey but not the All Star this year, not gonna give the NHL money for a mistake like that!