5 players who should take Ovechkin's spot on All-Star Weekend

All-Star Weekend lost one of its biggest stars Wednesday, as the Washington Capitals announced Alex Ovechkin, one of four fan-elected captains for Sunday's three-on-three tournament, won't be heading to Nashville due to a lower-body injury.

With Ovechkin's absence, a spot is now open for another forward to suit up with the Metropolitan Division on the weekend, and here are five players who deserve to take the ice:

Evgeny Kuznetsov, Washington Capitals

With forward Nicklas Backstrom and goalie Braden Holtby already heading to Tennessee, it may seem like a stretch to select another Capitals player for the All-Star Game, but it's hard to find anyone more deserving.

Kuznetsov is having a breakout season with 49 points in 47 games to lead not only the league's best team in scoring, but also the entire Metropolitan Division. The Russian looks poised for a number of All-Star appearances in his future, but it's already a shock he wasn't named this time.

Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins

It was hard to fathom that the player widely seen as the face of the NHL would be left out of the All-Star Game, but his slow start to the season made it difficult to argue that Crosby had earned a spot ahead of any other forwards on the team.

That's not the case anymore, as the Penguins' captain is currently riding a seven-game point streak and has quickly climbed into the top 25 in league scoring. The 28-year-old would be a welcome sight in Nashville, but after opting out of last year's game as Ovechkin is now, it's unclear if he would accept the invite.

Mats Zuccarello, New York Rangers

Prior to Derick Brassard's monster five-point night Monday, Zuccarello led the Rangers in scoring for the majority of the season, and he's been widely considered the team's best forward.

The speedy winger would be perfect for the three-on-three format, giving the second-place team in the division a second representative on the roster alongside defenseman and captain Ryan McDonagh.

Mike Cammalleri, New Jersey Devils

While the surprising Devils have had surprising contributions up front from Lee Stempniak and Kyle Palmieri, it's hard to imagine the team competing for a playoff spot without Cammalleri.

The 33-year-old is scoring at close to a point-per-game clip for the first time since the 2008-09 season with the Calgary Flames, and though he missed eight games in January with a hand injury, his production has hardly slowed, recording three points in his last four outings.

Max Domi, Arizona Coyotes

Though Ovechkin's absence won't leave the Capitals without representation at the All-Star Game, the trade sending John Scott to the Montreal Canadiens has left the Arizona Coyotes empty-handed.

With the Pacific team captained by a player from the Atlantic (and in the AHL, no less), why not give the Coyotes' star rookie a chance to shine and fulfill the league's wish to have players from all 30 teams. Domi's production has slowed of late, but he still sits fourth in rookie scoring with 32 points on the year.