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Capitals' Tom Wilson to replace Alex Ovechkin at NHL All-Star Game

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated 2/2/22

Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson has been selected to replace Alex Ovechkin at the upcoming NHL All-Star game, multiple sources reported on Wednesday.

Ovechkin, Washington's captain and one of the best hockey players on the planet, had to withdraw from the midseason festivities after testing positive for COVID-19.

Sources: Tom Wilson will be going to Vegas for All Star to replace Alex Ovechkin.

Ovechkin tested positive for COVID this morning. Wilson is on pace for a career-high year offensively.
— Emily Kaplan (@emilymkaplan) February 2, 2022

Wilson, 27, is on pace to have a career season, registering 31 points (13 goals, 18 assists) at roughly the halfway point of the season.

In a related move, Philadelphia Flyers representative Claude Giroux has been tapped to captain the Metropolitan Division team in Ovechkin's place.

This season's All-Star festivities have garnered extra hype with its Las Vegas-based location and Sin City-themed events. While the four-team All-Star game and most of the coordinating events will take place at the Vegas Golden Knights home barn, T-Mobile Arena, two events as part of the Skills Competition are expected to take place outdoors -- with one event taking place in the middle of the famed Bellagio fountain.

The NHL has revealed its two outdoor All-Star Game skills competitions in Las Vegas:

The NHL Fountain Face-Off, which will take place at the Fountains of Bellagio, and the Las Vegas NHL 21 in ’22, which will shut down part of Las Vegas Boulevard. pic.twitter.com/bnbwGUyGvA
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) January 31, 2022

Vegas Golden Knights forward Jonathan Marchessault was also added to the All-Star roster on Wednesday, joining teammates Mark Stone and Alex Pietrangelo and coach Pete DeBoer in representing the Knights over the weekend. Marchessault, 31, currently leads the team with 32 points (20 goals, 12 assists).

The NHL All-Star weekend events start on Friday.

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