In a season in which very little has gone right for the Blue Jackets, GM Scott Howson was able to deliver something positive: Columbus has landed the 2013 NHL All-Star Game. "We haven't had a lot of good news here since the season started. This is really a nice piece of news for us to start building some momentum," Howson said Saturday after attending the NHL Board of Governors meeting during the All-Star festivities in Ottawa.

Marian Gaborik made Rangers teammate Henrik Lundqvist pay for not selecting him to play for Daniel Alfredsson's team in the NHL All-Star game. Gaborik beat Lundqvist twice in the first period, finished with three goals and an assist, and earned MVP honors in leading Team Chara to a 12-9 win over Team Alfredsson on Sunday, according to an ESPN.com report.

Patrick Kane's Superman cape and Zdeno Chara's blistering hot slap shot weren't enough to beat Daniel Alfredsson and his team stocked with hometown favorites in the NHL All-Star skills competition Saturday night. Team Alfredsson beat Team Chara 21-12, easily clinching the victory in the final-round shootout challenge. Alfredsson had one of his team's 10 shootout goals in outscoring Chara 10-3.

Zdeno Chara won the NHL All-Star Game "puck flip" and opened by taking Red Wings forward Pavel Datsyuk. "He's an unbelievable player. I really admire the way he plays the game and the way he acts on and off the ice," Chara said. "That was my individual goal to get him first, and I was happy that I could do it." The distinction of Mr. Irrelevant fell to Sharks forward Logan Couture, who was the last of the 38 players selected. For being the last man standing, Couture won a car and will have $20,000 donated to a charity of his choice.

Penguins forward James Neal will replace Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin in Sunday's NHL All-Star Game, according to an ESPN.com report on Wednesday. Ovechkin backed out of the game Tuesday after he was issued a three-game suspension from the league for a hit on Penguins defenseman Zbynek Michalek Sunday.

Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews was put on IR on Tuesday, sidelining him until after the All-Star break. Toews has an upper body injury and was replaced by Flyers forward Scott Hartnell for the All-Star Game.

Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin has pulled out of the NHL All-Star Game. "He really doesn't feel like he deserves to be there and doesn't want to be a distraction," Capitals GM George McPhee told ESPN.com. "When he came in this morning, he said, 'I'm a suspended player and I don't deserve to be there." Ovechkin was suspended three games Monday for a charging incident in which he launched himself to hit Penguins defenseman Zbynek Michalek during Sunday's loss to the Penguins. The suspension angered both Ovechkin and the Capitals.

Daniel Alfredsson of the host Senators and Zdeno Chara of the defending Stanley Cup champion Bruins will serve as captains for the NHL All-Star Game, according to an ESPN.com report on Wednesday. Picked by their fellow All-Stars, they will lead the team selection process at the Jan. 26 "fantasy draft" and set the rosters for the All-Star skills competition. The league said that "Team Alfredsson" would wear white jerseys and red pants, with "Team Chara" in dark blue jerseys and pants.

Patrick Sharp was passed over Thursday for the NHL All-Star Game, but the Blackhawks winger would have made the team if he weren't sidelined with a hand injury, according to a source with knowledge of the situation

The Canucks, who started the day with the best record in the Western Conference, also lead in another category, most players added to the All-Star Game. Four members of the Canucks were among the 36 veterans and 12 rookies announced by the NHL for the 2012 All-Star Game, to be played Jan. 29 in Ottawa. Players from all 30 teams will be represented at the game, with four members of the Canucks added to the pool of players Thursday -- forwards Henrik and Daniel Sedin, defenseman Alexander Edler and forward Cody Hodgson. The Senators will have the largest representation at the game, with five players selected -- forwards Jason Spezza, Daniel Alfredsson and Milan Michalek, and defenseman Erik Karlsson, who were voted in by the fans, and forward Colin Greening, added to the rookie pool.