Anyone who’s watched a Buffalo Sabres game this season already knows that forward Tage Thompson is an all-star player. Now, the NHL has validated that, naming Thompson as one of 32 initial players rostered for the 2023 All-Star Game. The All-Star Game and skills competition will be held February 3-4 in Sunrise, Florida, hosted by the Florida Panthers.
Thompson has recorded 55 points, including 30 goals, in just 36 games. He is third in the NHL in points, behind only Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, and second in goals – one ahead of Alex Ovechkin. That’s some pretty notable company for the 25-year-old, who has made a major jump since recording only 12 points in 65 games in the 2018-19 season and 14 points in 38 games in the 2020-21 season.
Here are the other players selected to the All-Star Game so far, with their number of All-Star appearances, including 2023, in parentheses:
- Anaheim Ducks: Troy Terry (2 – 2022, 2023)
- Arizona Coyotes: Clayton Keller (3 – 2019, 2022, 2023)
- Boston Bruins: Linus Ullmark (1 – 2023)
- Buffalo Sabres: Tage Thompson (1 – 2023)
- Calgary Flames: Nazem Kadri (2 – 2022, 2023)
- Carolina Hurricanes: Andrei Svechnikov (1 – 2023)
- Chicago Blackhawks: Seth Jones (5 – 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023)
- Colorado Avalanche: Cale Makar (2 – 2022, 2023)
- Columbus Blue Jackets: Johnny Gaudreau (7 – 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023)
- Dallas Stars: Jason Robertson (1 – 2023)
- Detroit Red Wings: Dylan Larkin (3 – 2016, 2022, 2023)
- Edmonton Oilers: Connor McDavid (6 – 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023)
- Florida Panthers: Matthew Tkachuk (2 – 2020, 2023)
- Los Angeles Kings: Kevin Fiala (1 – 2023)
- Minnesota Wild: Kirill Kaprizov (2 – 2022, 2023)
- Montreal Canadiens: Nick Suzuki (2 – 2022, 2023)
- Nashville Predators: Juuse Saros (2 – 2022, 2023)
- New Jersey Devils: Jack Hughes (2 – 2022, 2023)
- New York Islanders: Brock Nelson (1 – 2023)
- New York Rangers: Igor Shesterkin (1 – 2023)
- Ottawa Senators: Brady Tkachuk (3 – 2020, 2022, 2023)
- Philadelphia Flyer: Kevin Hayes (1 – 2023)
- Pittsburgh Penguins: Sidney Crosby (9 – 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023)
- San Jose Sharks: Erik Karlsson (7 – 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023)
- Seattle Kraken: Matty Beniers (1 – 2023)
- St. Louis Blues: Vladimir Tarasenko (4 – 2015, 2016, 2017, 2023)
- Tampa Bay Lightning: Nikita Kucherov (4 – 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023)
- Toronto Maple Leafs: Mitch Marner (2 – 2020, 2023)
- Vancouver Canucks: Elias Pettersson (3 – 2019, 2020, 2023)
- Vegas Golden Knights: Logan Thompson (1 – 2023)
- Washington Capitals: Alex Ovechkin (13 – 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023)
- Winnipeg Jets: Josh Morrissey (1 – 2023)/
In addition to these 32 players, fans can vote for the three remaining players for each divisional team (two skaters and one goalie). Vote on Twitter using the hashtag #NHLAllStarVote, followed by a player’s full name or a player’s Twitter handle, or on the NHL’s website here.
The league also clarified that fans can only vote for “active and eligible NHL players,” so if you were hoping to sneak in Jaromir Jagr, you’re out of luck. Eligible players must have been on an active NHL roster as of December 1, but can be added to the ballot if they weren’t on an active roster because of injury or special circumstances. Players who are assigned or loaned to the AHL between December 1 and February 1 are also not eligible, unless the demotion was for a conditioning stint.