Keith Yandle named NHL All-Star
Published: January 12, 2012 @ 11:31am
Phoenix Coyotes defenseman Keith Yandle (3) controls the puck past Minnesota Wild center Kyle Brodziak (21) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in St Paul, Minn., Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011. (AP Photo/Ann Heisenfelt)
Yandle now goes into the 48 player-pool for the Tim Hortons NHL All-Star Game that will be played January 29 in Ottawa. Two captains will be selected to pick their rosters during the NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft on January 26.
Yandle, who is making his second All-Star appearance, was the only Coyote selected. The Vancouver Canucks, who have the best record in the Western Conference, led all teams with four representatives. Yandle has 5 goals and 20 assists in 43 games for the Coyotes this season.
"It's great. It's just something that brings joy to your day. It's something that not everybody can say, that they're an all-star in the NHL," Yandle said Wednesday. "For myself it's almost hard to believe. You've got to live for it, have fun with it, and that's what I'm trying to do.
The Boston native was one of ten defensmen selected, joining Dustin Byfuglien (Winnipeg), Brian Campbell (Florida), Zdeno Chara (Boston), Alexander Edler (Vancouver), Dan Girardi (NY Rangers), Shea Weber (Nashville), Dennis Wideman (Washington), Ryan Suter (Nashville) and Kimmo Timonen (Philadelphia).
Last season, Yandle was selected by captain Nicklas Lidstrom, whose team scored an 11-10 victory over a team captained by Eric Staal. Yandle did not score a point in the game.
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