New York Rangers forward Carl Hagelin has been added to the 2012 NHL Youngstars team, which is comprised of the top performing rookies around the league this season. Hagelin is being added as an injury replacement and will be making the trip to Ottawa with teammates Marian Gaborik, Dan Girardi and Henrik Lundqvist, as well as head coach John Tortorella, for this weekend's All-Star fesitivities. The funny part about this? The news was actually broke by defenseman Ryan McDonagh via Twitter.
It is my understanding that the NHL will again be excluding the actual rookie game like they did last year, and that the rookies will only be participating in the skills competition on Saturday. My money is on Hagelin winning the fastest skater competition by a long stretch. Who's beating him?
In 29 games played with the Rangers this season, Hagelin has recorded eight goals and eight assists for 16 points. From the day the 23-year-old Swede was recalled from the Connecticut Whale (AHL), he's made an instant impact on this hockey club with his speed and electricity. As coach Tortorella put it, he brings life to each and every line he is put on, and as a rookie that is quite the compliment to be getting from your head coach.
It may not seem like much, but I'm sure this means a lot to Carl to be recognized as one of the top freshman in the league this year. Being a rookie in this league is not an easy thing to do, especially when you are on the first place team in the Eastern Conference. You all are well aware of the competition to earn and maintain a roster spot on the Rangers right now, and Hags has come in and beat most of it out. To put it simply, he's been an outstanding player who has embedded himself in the core in just 29 games.
That's All-Star material if you ask me.
And as you probably know by now, I will be in Ottawa this weekend bringing you behind-the-scenes coverage with press credentials, so I will definitely make Hagelin a target of mine. Last year my job was fairly easy only having to focus in on Henrik Lundqvist and Marc Staal (and Derek Stepan on rookie team), but this year I have to cover a lengthy lineup of Blueshirts. I guess it's not something I necessarily should be complaining about, though.
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