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Panarin, Scheifele among NHL All-Star snubs

Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2017 NHL All-Stars.

Related: NHL announces All-Star rosters for 3-on-3 tournament in L.A.

The NHL unveiled this year's participants for All-Star weekend on Tuesday, naming the teams that will once again take part in the league's 3-on-3 tournament.

The teams include all your usual and worthy suspects such as Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, and Patrick Kane, but like every year - and oddly more so this time around - there appears to be some notable omissions.

Here are five of the biggest snubs:

Zach Werenski

This snub is a bigger head-scratcher when you consider he was replaced by a fellow Blue Jackets defenseman.

Seth Jones ultimately secured a spot, despite the fact that the rookie pivot has amassed seven more points than his elder.

Werenski has been in Calder Trophy discussions all season and is among the league-leaders in power-play points. For an event that the league has tried to make about their young stars, this was a great opportunity to add another.

Cam Talbot

The Edmonton Oilers deserve to have more than just Connor McDavid represented in Los Angeles.

Besides the league's leading scorer, Cam Talbot was more than worthy of one of the two goaltending positions on the Pacific Division team.

The 29-year-old is just one win away from matching a career-high - having collected 20 wins in 37 games - the same as fellow All-Stars Carey Price and Tuukka Rask.

Talbot - a big reason for the team's current playoff position - has given the Oilers the stability they need on the back end with a .920 save percentage and a 2.44 goals-against average.

Rasmus Ristolainen

Rasmus Ristolainen is quickly becoming Buffalo's work horse.

The Sabres defenseman has been brilliant on a team that dwells in the basement of the Eastern Conference. Through 39 games the 22-year-old sits fifth in points by defensemen with 26.

What's also been incredible is his durability, as he currently sits fifth in the league in ice time, averaging 27:06 a night - in Saturday's win over the Winnipeg Jets he logged 30:22.

He's arguably been the team's most valuable player this season and deserves to be treated as such.

Mark Scheifele/ Nikolaj Ehlers

Patrik Laine is undoubtedly worthy of an All-Star nod, but so too are his linemates.

The trio are evenly deserving of a spot especially considering all three sit locked at 37 points on the season.

Scheifele has taken a real step in his development, tallying 17 goals through 40 games - putting him on pace to shatter his career-bests. While Ehlers is doing the same with 14 of his own.

Of course, the elephant in the room is that Laine is currently out with a concussion, meaning there is still a chance Scheifele or Ehlers could still play.

Artemi Panarin

Coming from the horse's mouth, Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews would have thrown a vote towards Artemi Panarin over himself.

Related: Toews admits he isn't most deserving of All-Star nod

Toews secured a roster spot ahead of Panarin despite the fact that Panarin has amassed 10 more goals and 21 more points than his teammate.

The Bread Man trails only teammate Patrick Kane in team scoring and sits sixth league-wide.

Honorable Mentions

  • Cam Atkinson
  • Peter Budaj
  • Oliver Ekman-Larsson
  • Marian Hossa
  • Jack Eichel

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