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There are three Columbus Blue Jackets on the NHL All-Star ballot

Nashville Predators v Columbus Blue Jackets

COLUMBUS, OH - DECEMBER 01: Head coach Scott Arniel of the Columbus Blue Jackets handles his team against the Nashville Predators at the Nationwide Arena on December 1, 2010 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

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The National Hockey League has released its official ballot for the 2012 All-Star Game. It includes 127 players -- 18 goalies, 36 defensemen and 73 forwards -- with voting set to begin on Monday, Nov. 14.

And when voting begins on Monday, you’ll have the opportunity to send three members of the Columbus Blue Jackets to Ottawa for all the festivities!

Rick Nash, Jeff Carter and RJ Umberger all made the ballot. You can make a case for Nash being there because he leads the team in scoring. You can make a case for Carter because he’s been an All-Star before. And you can make a case for Umberger because...the league had a quota for guys named RJ? That’s all I got.

See, Umberger’s not just having a bad year. He’s having a terrible year (1G-4A-5PTS, minus-2) on a terrible team. He’s currently being outscored by two CBJ defensemen: Aaron Johnson (who is four points away from tying his career high of 10) and Grant Clitsome (hehe, Clitsome.)

I’m all for equal representation at the All-Star game. I also realize this might be Columbus’ lone highlight of the season (the Blue Jackets will be in highlights, of course, like Jamie Benn’s goal.)

But aren’t there some deserving guys that got left off the ballot?

Yep, sure are.

With that said, here are PHT’s All-Star Ballot Snubs.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins: This may be intentional as there are no rookies on the ballot. (Last year the All-Star weekend featured a YoungStars game between rookies and sophomores, though Carolina’s Jeff Skinner got to compete in the big game.) RNH has 6G-6A-12PTS -- more than Nash and Los Angeles’ Mike Richards.

David Legwand: Point-a-game player (14PTS, 14GP) for the fifth-place team in the West. Tied for 22nd overall in league scoring. Plays 19 minutes a night. NB: Despite being 13 points clear of Columbus, Nashville has the same number of players on the ballot.

Marc-Andre Bergeron: Bergeron leads all NHL defensemen in scoring. This requires no further explanation.

Jimmy Howard: Jimmy’s 6-3-1 so far with a 1.79 GAA. Jimmy’s save percentage is .928. Jimmy doesn’t understand why he’s not one of 18 goalies nominated. Jimmy definitely thinks he should be there over Jaroslav Halak. Jimmy’s actually okay with this snub, though. Jimmy might take the family on vacation during the break. Jimmy’s been looking at places in Maui. Anyway, good talk. Jimmy’ll see you around.

Niklas Backstrom/Josh Harding: Minnesota has the league’s second-lowest GAA -- shouldn’t at least one of its goalies be on the ballot? If I had to pick, I’d probably go with Backstrom because he’s played more (nine starts to Harding’s five) and his stats are pretty solid: 2.05 goals-against and a .926 save percentage. Maybe Harding just canceled him out of the equation.