Malkin added to All-Stars, but no Kessel, Schultz

CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — The Metropolitan Division's roster for the NHL All-Star Game will have two fewer Penguins than might have reasonably been expected.

Evgeni Malkin will join Sidney Crosby in Los Angeles Jan. 28, but Phil Kessel and Justin Schultz were not selected when the event's rosters were released Tuesday afternoon.

Kessel is 11th in the NHL with 39 points, including 13 goals and 26 assists, but was not one of six forwards picked to represent the Metro. The Devils' Taylor Hall (25 points), the Capitals' Alex Ovechkin (33 points), the Flyers' Wayne Simmonds (32 points) and the Islanders' John Tavares (27 points) were selected.

The Blackhawks led all teams with four All-Stars, but the Penguins' offense that is second in the NHL with 137 goals had just two.

Schultz was another glaring omission. He's eighth in the NHL among defensemen with 25 points and is tied with the Wild's Ryan Suter with a league-leading plus-24. The Hurricanes' Justin Faulk, the Blue Jackets' Seth Jones and the Rangers' Ryan McDonagh, though each has fewer points.

"I really haven't given it much thought, quite honestly," Sullivan said of Schultz not being selected. "I'm more concerned about this team winning hockey games."

Though Crosby was named a captain of the Metropolitan Division team last week, Malkin was announced to his fourth all-star game Tuesday.

All-Star festivities begin Jan. 27 with the skills competition at the Staples Center.

Malkin is fourth in the NHL with 43 points, scoring 16 goals with 27 assists in 39 games. He received an ovation from Patric Hörnqvist in the locker room Tuesday at the Lemieux Sports Complex after practice:

"I'm not stunned," Sullivan said of his stars' selections. "They're very well deserving. They've played extremely well for us."