Giroux, Timonen All-Star Bound

Couturier, Read land on All-Star Rookies team

The Flyers top scorer and top defenseman are headed to this month’s NHL All-Star Game in Ottawa.

F Claude Giroux and D Kimmo Timonen were named to the team Thursday afternoon. Timonen makes his fourth team -- the Finn last made the All-Star team in 2008 -- while Giroux was named to his second-straight All-Star team.

"My family and friends have been talking about it, that hopefully I make the team," Giroux told NHL.com a few days before the announcement. "And if I do it would be pretty cool to live that experience with them."

Giroux leads the Flyers with 48 points, which trails only Vancouver’s Henrik Sedin in all of the NHL. Timonen’s plus-12 trails only Scott Hartnell’s plus-19 on the Flyers.

Speaking of Hartnell, Giroux’s linemate could be one of the biggest snubs on the All-Star team.

“I’m not lobbying, but it would be criminal for Scott Hartnell not to be on there,” coach Peter Laviolette told CSNPhilly.com earlier this week.

Criminal is right. Hartnell is tied with Giroux for the team lead with 18 goals on the season -- a total that is 12th best in the NHL and his plus/minus number is 13th best in hockey.

Joining Giroux and Timonen in Ottawa will be rookies Sean Couturier and Matt Read who will participate in All-Star Weekend festivities. Read is tied for the rookie lead with 13 goals and fourth with 25 points while Couturier has impressed with seven goals and 13 points while posting a plus-9.

The teams for the Jan. 29 All-Star game will be decided at the All-Star Player Fantasy Draft on Jan. 26.

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