WASHINGTON — St. Louis Blues winger David Perron and former teammate T.J. Oshie were voted by fans as two of the final representatives for NHL All-Star Weekend in St. Louis.
After helping the Blues win the Stanley Cup last spring in his third stint with them, Perron is having one of the best seasons of his career. The 31-year-old Perron has 19 goals and 26 assists and is a first-time All-Star.
Perron is set to be one of four Blues at All-Star Weekend, joining goaltender Jordan Binnington, reigning playoff MVP Ryan O’Reilly and captain Alex Pietrangelo. The host team launched a significant social media campaign to help get Perron selected.
Oshie has 18 goals and 15 assists for the Washington Capitals. The 33-year-old spent his first seven NHL seasons with the Blues and won the Cup with Washington in 2018.
“We all know he wants to go,” Capitals teammate Nicklas Backstrom said of Oshie. “Especially it’s his former hometown too, St. Louis. That would be something special for him.”
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner and Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes were also voted in by fans. The league announced its final All-Stars on Saturday night.
Oshie joins fellow Capitals Braden Holtby and John Carlson and coach Todd Reirden for the Metropolitan Division at All-Star Weekend. Captain Alex Ovechkin opted not to participate and will serve a one-game suspension.
Ovechkin, 34, was once again voted by fans as the Metropolitan captain, but he told reporters on Friday he would rather skip the All-Star festivities and rest his body for the second half of the season.
“Thanks, first of all, fans, for voting me,” he said after the Capitals’ 2-1 overtime win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. “It’s a hard decision, but I have to listen to my body. I have to get ready for the second half of the year. I have to be healthy and focus on different things.”
Reirden was supportive of Ovechkin’s decision.
“I know it’s something that he put a lot of time and thought into,” Reirden said. “It’s the right thing for him at age 34 to rest and get ready for what he ultimately wants, and that’s another run at the Cup. That’s what he’s playing the game for now.”
Boston’s David Pastrnak was voted captain for the Atlantic Division, Colorado’s Nathan Mackinnon for the Central and Edmonton’s Connor McDavid for the Pacific.
NHL All-Star Weekend is Jan. 24-25.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.