Tampa Bay will have only one representative at the All-Star game later this month in Ottawa center Steven Stamkos.
The selection is the second straight for Stamkos and the third time in four years he will participate in All-Star weekend; he was selected as part of the YoungStars game in 2009 in Montreal. There was no All-Star game in 2010 because of the participation of NHL players at the Olympics.
"It's an honor," Stamkos said before Thursday's 5-2 loss to Carolina. "Last year was an unbelievable experience, being my first All-Star game, and then the experience in Montreal (2009) being a rookie there. Now this being the second one, it's just as special. It's nice to go there once, but you want to go there every single year and I'm really looking forward to it."
The league's leading goal scorer with 29 through 42 games will be the only Lightning player to participate in the All-Star Game, marking the first time since the 2002 game that Tampa Bay will not have at least two players there. It will also be the first time since 2002 that neither Vinny Lecavalier nor Marty St. Louis will be part of the weekend festivities.
All-Star weekend will also mark the first time Stamkos will participate in a hockey situation outside of Tampa Bay without St. Louis. Stamkos played alongside St. Louis at the 2010 World Championships, and the two were linemates at the All-Star game last season in Raleigh.
