Three Blue Jackets to participate in NHL All-Star Game
COLUMBUS, OH – Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and defenseman Seth Jones have been selected to participate in the 2017 Honda NHL All-Star Game® at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, January 29, the League and club announced today. In addition, Head Coach John Tortorella will serve in the same capacity for the Metropolitan Division squad at this year’s event.
Bobrovsky, 28, has gone 26-6-2 with a 2.00 goals-against average (GAA), .931 save percentage (SV%) and three shutouts (SO) in 34 games this season, leading the NHL in wins, ranking fourth in GAA, second-T in SV% and fifth in SO. He was named the NHL’s First Star for the month of December when he went 12-0-0 with a 1.75 GAA and .939 SV% en route to winning 14-consecutive games from November 29 to January 3. That streak is tied for the second-longest in NHL history, trailing the 17 consecutive wins by Boston’s Gilles Gilbert in 1975-76.
The Novokuznetsk, Russia native is 166-96-27 with a 2.48 GAA, .919 SV% and 15 SO in 301 career NHL games with the Blue Jackets and Philadelphia Flyers. He won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goaltender in 2012-13 and is Columbus’ career leader in wins with 124. This is the second time Bobrovsky has been selected to participate in the All-Star Game, but he missed the 2015 game due to injury.
Jones, 22, will be making his All-Star Game debut. He has collected 7-11-18 with 12 penalty minutes and a +5 plus/minus rating in 33 games this season. Among NHL defensemen, he ranks eighth-T in goals and seventh-T with two game-winning goals. He also leads the Blue Jackets in time on ice, averaging 23:02 per game.
A native of Arlington, Texas, Jones was the first pick, fourth overall, of the Nashville Predators in the 2013 NHL Draft. He was acquired by Columbus in exchange for center Ryan Johansen on Jan. 6, 2016 and has registered 24-77-101 and 78 penalty minutes in 273 career games, including 9-29-38 and 24 penalty minutes in 74 games with the Blue Jackets.
Tortorella will be making his second All-Star Game coaching appearance (2012, New York Rangers) as he has led Columbus to the best record in the NHL at 28-7-4 (60 points) in his first full season behind the bench. Under his direction, the club won a franchise-record 16 consecutive games from November 29 to January 3, which is the second-longest winning streak in League history (17 games – Pittsburgh, 1992-93). On Dec. 18, 2016, he became the 24th head coach – and first American-born coach – to win 500 games in the NHL.
The Boston, Massachusetts native has compiled a 508-415-127 record with the Blue Jackets, Vancouver Canucks, New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning. He won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s Coach of the Year in 2003-04 after guiding the Lightning to the Stanley Cup title and was runner-up for the award in 2002-03 (Tampa Bay) and 2011-12 (NY Rangers). Since being named head coach of the Blue Jackets on Oct. 21, 2015, he has led the club to a 62-40-12 record.
Previous Blue Jackets selected to participate in the NHL All-Star Game include: left wing Brandon Saad (2016), right wing Nick Foligno (2015, team captain), center Ryan Johansen (2015, voted game’s Most Valuable Player), Bobrovsky (2015, missed game due to injury), left wing Rick Nash (2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011), left wing Ray Whitney (2003) and center Espen Knutsen (2002).
The 40 All-Stars selected by the NHL today join the first four players voted by fans to serve as division captains: Carey Price, Montreal (Atlantic Division); Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh (Metropolitan); P.K. Subban, Nashville (Central) and Connor McDavid, Edmonton (Pacific). The All-Stars will take part in a three-game tournament, played in a 3-on-3 format, and featuring four teams representing each NHL division. Each division's roster consists of six forwards, three defensemen and two goalies. The Atlantic Division will face the Metropolitan Division in one semifinal and the Central Division will face the Pacific Division in the other semifinal. The winners play in the championship game. Games will be 20 minutes in length and will be decided by a shootout if tied after the 20 minutes.
Live television coverage of the League’s midseason showcase includes the 2017 Coors Light NHL All-Star Skills Competition, which will be broadcast live by NBCSN in the U.S. on Saturday, January 28 at 7 p.m. ET. The 2017 Honda NHL All-Star Game® will be televised live on NBC in the U.S. at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, January 29.
The Blue Jackets return to action tonight when they visit the Carolina Hurricanes. Game time from PNC Arena is 7 p.m. ET. Live coverage on FOX Sports Ohio begins with the Blue Jackets Live pre-game show at 6:30 p.m. The game will also be broadcast live on the Eldorado Scioto Downs Blue Jackets Radio Network, including flagship station Sports Radio 97.1 The Fan, and online at BlueJackets.com.
