Alexander Ovechkin has told reporters he will not play in the upcoming All-Star Game. This will be the second year in a row he has skipped the event.
"I have to listen to my body," Ovechkin said Friday night. "I have to get ready for the second half of the year. I have to be healthy and focus on different things. It's a hard decision, obviously, being the captain and missing the All-Star Game, but have to do best for me and for my team."
"If I was 21, yeah, I'm healthy, I'm good, but I have to think about the second half of the year and the playoffs," Ovechkin said. "Right now, my focus is to be healthy and to help my team get success in the playoffs and it is what it is."
Ovechkin was voted the Metropolitan Division captain by fan vote each of the past two seasons. He'll be suspended one game for skipping the festivities. It will either be January 18th against the New York Islanders or January 27th against the Montreal Canadiens.
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