Alex Ovechkin has been selected to participate in the 2023 NHL All-Star Game. This year’s All-Star Weekend is being hosted by the Florida Panthers at FLA Live Arena. If Ovechkin participates, it will be his eighth All-Star Game of his career.

The first 32 players are being announced on ESPN during the intermissions of the Capitals-Blue Jackets game. Forty-four players will participate at All-Star Weekend this year, and the remaining 12 players will be selected through a fan vote.

ESPN revealed the Atlantic and Metropolitan Division All-Star selections during the first period of the nationally televised game.

Water is wet.
The sun rises.
Ovi’s an #NHLAllStar.

Congrats, #Gr8!#ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/ap6bn08jCo

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 6, 2023

Ovechkin has been selected for 13 All-Star games in his career, playing in seven of them. He has opted out or been forced out of the previous three games, choosing to spend the time resting up for the end of the season and upcoming playoffs instead. Ovechkin planned to attend last year’s game after being voted All-Star Captain but was forced to opt out when he was placed in protocol due to COVID.

Ovechkin was previously named to All-Star Teams in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2022.

The other Metropolitan Division All-Stars include Sidney Crosby, Jack Hughes, Andrei Svechnikov, Johnny Gaudreau, Brock Nelson, Kevin Hayes, and Igor Shesterkin.

Atlantic Division All Stars currently include Matthew Tkachuk, Brady Tkachuk, Linus Ullmark, Tage Thompson, Mitch Marner, Dylan Larkin, Nick Suzuki, and Nikita Kucherov.

The Central division All Stars include Cale Makar, Jason Robertson, Kirill Kaprizov, Seth Jones, Clayton Keller, Vladimir Tarasenko, Josh Morrissey, and Juuse Saros.

The Pacific division All Stars include Connor McDavid, Troy Terry, Erik Karlsson, Matty Beniers, Elias Pettersson, Nazem Kadri, Kevin Fiala, and Logan Thompson.

Below is the Capitals’ official press release:

Alex Ovechkin Selected to 2023 NHL All-Star Game Roster
Capitals captain selected to franchise-record 13th All-Star Game

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin has been selected to the 2023 NHL All-Star Game roster, the NHL announced today. It marks Ovechkin’s franchise-record 13th All-Star Game selection (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022). NHL All-Star Weekend will take place on Feb. 3-4 at FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, Florida.

In seven career All-Star Games (he did not participate in the 2012, 2016, 2019, 2020 and 2022 games), Ovechkin has recorded 14 points (7g, 7a). Ovechkin, 37, ranked tied for third in the NHL in goals (28) and tied for eighth in points (47) entering Thursday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Ovechkin scored his 802nd career goal on Dec. 23 against the Winnipeg Jets, passing Gordie Howe (801) for second place on the NHL’s all-time goals list. Ovechkin now only trails Wayne Gretzky (894) for the most goals in NHL history. On Dec. 13 against the Chicago Blackhawks, Ovechkin recorded his 29th career hat trick to become the third player in NHL history to reach the 800-goal mark. Ovechkin notched his 30th career hat trick on Dec. 31 against the Montreal Canadiens, becoming the sixth player in NHL history to score 30 hat tricks, joining Gretzky (50), Mario Lemieux (40), Mike Bossy (39), Brett Hull (33) and Phil Esposito (32). Ovechkin’s seven multi-goal games this season are the second most in the NHL.

In addition to scoring his 800th career goal and continuing his climb up the NHL’s all-time goals list this season, Ovechkin has also passed Ray Bourque (6,209) for the most shots in NHL history (Dec. 22 at Ottawa), played in his 1,300th career game (Dec. 3 at Calgary), passed Gretzky for the most road goal in NHL history (Nov. 29 at Vancouver), passed Howe (786 goals with Detroit) for the most goals with one franchise in NHL history (Nov. 5 vs. Arizona) and scored his 122nd career game-winning goal on Oct. 24 at New Jersey to pass Howe for the second-most game-winning goals.

Ovechkin is on pace to score 57 goals this season. Should Ovechkin reach the 50-goal mark, it would mark his 10th career 50-goal season, passing Gretzky and Bossy (9) for the most in NHL history. In addition, Ovechkin would pass Gretzky (12) for the most 40-goal seasons in NHL history and tie Mike Gartner (17) for the most 30-goal seasons in NHL history.

This story is developing. Check back later for updates.