John Tavares named an All Star by NHL.com and other, less enjoyable, Islanders notes

[Note: I am a dumbass. The All Star story below was about NHL.com votes, not actual game lineups. Sorry for the confusion. It's updated now. If I had any credibility, this would surely be a blow to it - Dan]

Captain John Tavares should represent the Islanders in the NHL All Star Game, according to NHL.com writers. The picks for the 2017 divisional rosters as selected by the league's website were announced on Sunday and Tavares, even in a down year of 27 points (11 goals and 16 assists) in 38 games, was still judged to be the best player the Islanders could send. He's two points from 500 in his career and breaking into the Top 10 of the franchise's all time scoring list.

But, in a surprising and delightful footnote, the other Islander receiving enough votes was Thomas Greiss, who until last week, wasn't even the starting goalie. He, along with Cam Ward and Cory Schneider, lost out to Sergei Bobrovsky and Braden Holtby as the Metro Division's two goalies. Hard to argue with those two guys and, as always, it's an honor just to be nominated, even just by NHL.com. Maybe Greiss is actually, like, good. The team might want to sign him.

If you want to go out on a high note like George Costanza, I suggest you leave the page at this point.

No? You want to read more? Are you sure? Okay...

But don't say I didn't warn you.

Oh, by the way: NHL.com also says Kyle Okposo should go to his first All Star Game as a Buffalo Sabre.

Islanders links

• Recaps to whatever that thing was in Arizona on Saturday night: LHH | Newsday | Islanders | NHL.com | NYI Skinny | FFH
• Calvin deHaan has issues with the refs. Good luck with that fight, Carp Lad. [Newsday]
• The team still feels its prized rookies need more time in the AHL, hence no call ups. [Newsday]
• Hey, the Sound Tigers won a game! 2-1 over Hartford on Saturday. [CT Post]
• Minnesota Hockey Magazine spotlights Anders Lee. That's nice.
• Bruce Bennett's best photos of 2016 as chosen by the man himself.

Other stuff

• Patrik Laine took a brutal hit from Jake McCabe and is out now with a concussion. Terrible. [Sportsnet]
• The Predators will be without James Neal for a while as he goes on IR. [OTF]
• It takes a lot of money to make your kid a hockey player. [PPP]
• Meanwhile, should the Bruins want James van Riemsdyk? [SCOC]
• Thomas Vanek and Frans Nielsen have become good friends during their first seasons as Red Wings. Hm. Didn't they play together someplace else? [Freep]