The Penguins are right in the thick of a competitive playoff race in the Eastern Conference thanks to the loaded Metropolitan Division.
Entering play Wednesday night, the Pens are in control of the second wild card spot, but they're just one point up on the Islanders, Flyers and Hurricanes for that spot.
The Penguins are as dangerous a team as any because of their firepower and their star players have been playing well this season. Phil Kessel leads the team in points with 47, but Sidney Crosby isn't far behind with 43 points in 44 games.
Despite being in the top 20 in scoring, Crosby doesn't think he'll be at the All-Star game in Tampa which might not be a surprise as he's only played in two All-Star games in his career.
The reason, though, that he doesn't think he'll be there and play in the game is because he doesn't think he deserves to be an All-Star, as he told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
“I don’t expect to be there, to be honest with you,” Crosby told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Sunday morning. “I haven’t even thought about it. I don’t feel like I’ve had an all-star first half.”
“I mean … Phil’s had a really good first half,” Crosby said. “There’s been a lot of guys within our division that have had some great first halves here so far: Tavares, Bailey and Ovechkin. These guys are all right at the top of the scoring race. I haven’t given it any thought, only because of that. I just don’t expect to be going.”
Giroux, Tavares, Bailey, Kessel, and Ovechkin (all players from the Metropolitan Division) have recorded more points than Crosby this season and he doesn't think he's been an All-Star caliber player this season.
Still, it's hard to imagine he won't be selected for the game and if he is selected, then the question becomes does he play in the game.
We'll have the answer to if Crosby will be named an All-Star Wednesday.
(H/T: Pittsburgh Post-Gazzette)
