bruins all-star selections

While every professional and amateur media outlet is busy complaining about the All-Star Game and its flawed selection system, I merely want to post to acknowledge those Bruins that were selected.

The Bruins boast three players that will be playing in the main portion of the All-Star Game - Marc Savard, Zdeno Chara and Tim Thomas were all selected.

In the young-stars portion of the event, Blake Wheeler and Milan Lucic will be representing the rookie- and sophomore-level Bruins.

Joining these five players will be Bruins Coach, Claude Julien, who is automatically selected by being the number one coach in the Eastern Conference at the half-way point of the season. I am especially pleased for Julien, who has brought a consistent work ethic (and results!) to this squad, and, after being shuttled out of two clubs despite having winning records, is finally getting the respect he deserves as one of the League's best coaches.

That the Bruins are sending six individuals who boast the Black, White and Gold is wonderful. The All-Star Game is meant to be a showcase of the best talent in the league, and while the NHL's policy of including at least one player from every team counteracts this idea, the Bruins are having enough of a breakout year to warrant these six selections.

Not included in the game -- David Krejci or Phil Kessel -- both of whom have put up numbers far in excess of other players who are attending (and yes, Alexei Kovalev, I am looking at you) -- or Manny Fernandez, who is second overall in goals-against-average, and fourth overall in save percentage.