Flyers' Claude Giroux named to NHL all-star team
Center Claude Giroux, who leads the Flyers with 29 points in 38 games, was named to his fourth NHL all-star team on Wednesday.
Center Claude Giroux, who leads the Flyers with 29 points in 38 games, was named to his fourth NHL All-Star team on Wednesday.
"It's a great honor," he said after an optional practice in Voorhees. "We have a lot of good players on this team, and to be the one going, there's a lot of pride and I'm pretty excited to go."
Someone asked Giroux if he had seen the all-star jerseys and told him the colors resemble those of the Flyers' archrivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins.
"Oh, that's great," Giroux said sourly, sarcasm dripping
The all-star tournament will be held in Nashville, Tenn., on Jan. 31. It will consist of three games played in a three-on-three format.
"I think three-on-three is going to be entertaining and add a lot of excitement," Giroux said. "It's all about going out there, relaxing a little bit, playing a little hockey, and Nashville's not a bad city, too."
Giroux, who will turn 28 on Tuesday, has a way to go before reaching the most all-star selections in franchise history - nine by Bobby Clarke.
Giroux will be on a Metropolitan Division team that also includes Washington's Alex Ovechkin and Braden Holtby, the Islanders' John Tavares, and the Penguins' Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin.
The Penguins' Sidney Crosby did not make the team.
Overall, 40 players were selected, including former Flyer Jaromir Jagr, 43, who leads Florida with 14 goals and 29 points.
The fans selected Jagr (Atlantic), Ovechkin (Metro), Chicago's Patrick Kane (Central), and Arizona's John Scott (Pacific) as captains.
The Pacific Division team includes Calgary's high-scoring Johnny Gaudreau, the pride of Gloucester Catholic High.
@BroadStBull www.philly.com/blog