TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) One year after seeing four players make the Atlantic Division team for the NHL All-Star Game, the Tampa Bay Lightning have landed just two players on the initial roster for the 2019 game.
Forward Nikita Kucherov and center Steven Stamkos were selected to the Atlantic team by the NHL Hockey Operations Department. Stamkos will make his sixth All-Star appearance while Kucherov will skate in the competition for the third time.
Lightning forward Brayden Point is part of the “Last Men In” fan vote on the NHL web site. Fans will select one player from the list from each of the four divisions. Point is also on the alternate list as is goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy. Both men played in last year’s game.
This is the dilemma of the popular 3-on-3 division format, with space limited for each team. All four divisions will have deserving players left off the rosters and the Lightning are certainly not short of All-Star talent.
Point is currently tied for ninth in the NHl in goals scored (23), the same number as San Jose Sharks forward Joe Pavelski, one of three Sharks selected to the Pacific Division roster. San Jose is the host of the 2019 game and for now, has the most number of all-stars. Last year, Tampa Bay boasted the most players while hosting the game.
The Lightning, off to a franchise record start to the season, just completed the second unbeaten month in club history. They have 64 points, 10 more than second place Toronto in the Atlantic which also happens to be the second highest point total in the league. But the individuals will not be recognized as well as last year at the All-Star Game.