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Max Pacioretty, Tomas Hertl added to 2020 NHL All-Star Game

NHL All-Star Game

The NHL announced a couple of changes for the Pacific Division roster for the 2020 All-Star Game on Friday afternoon.

San Jose Sharks forward Tomas Hertl and Vegas Golden Knights forward Max Pacioretty have both been added to the game as replacements.

Hertl is replacing San Jose teammate Logan Couture, who will be sidelined several weeks due to an ankle injury.

Pacioretty is going in place of Anahein Ducks forward Jakob Silfverberg.

The league announced on Monday that Silfverberg has been excused from the game due to the imminent birth of his child. This leaves the Ducks with no current representative in the game. Silfverberg will also not have to miss any regular season games because his absence from the All-Star weekend is excused.

Pacioretty was Vegas’ representative in the Last Men In vote, and will now be their only representative in the game. Golden Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury was named to the initial roster, but has since withdrawn from the game. He was replaced by Vancouver’s Jacob Markstrom.

Pacioretty’s bounce back year

This will be Pacioretty’s first ever appearance in an All-Star game, which is kind of surprising given how productive he has been throughout his career. During his peak he was one of the league’s best goal-scorers before going through a bit of a decline the previous two seasons.

This year, though, all of that production is back.

He is in the middle of one of the best offensive seasons of his career and has been one of the best forwards in the NHL. As of Friday he already has 20 goals and 45 total points in the Golden Knights’ first 47 games, while also posting dominant possession numbers. Those numbers have him on a 35-goal, 78-point pace for the season.

Hertl one of Sharks’ few bright spots this season

Hertl will also be appearing in his first ever All-Star Game.

After a slow start that saw him go pointless in his first five games, Hertl has since bounced back and produced at the level the Sharks expected. As of Friday he has 15 goals and 34 total points in 42 games and is one of the few players on the Sharks’ roster that has not been a disappointment this season.

Hertl was also a candidate for the Last Men In vote before being added to the roster.

The NHL All-Star weekend will take place on January 24-25 in St. Louis.

More All-Star Roster Changes

Alex Ovechkin will not play in All-Star Game
Kris Letang, Tristan Jarry added to All-Star Rosters
Fleury withdraws, Markstrom added

Adam Gretz is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @AGretz.