NHL All-Star Game: The case for Artemi Panarin

Fan voting is under way to choose the captain for the Metropolitan Division for the NHL All-Star Game, hosted by the San Jose Sharks on Jan. 26.

The case for Panarin:With 233 points in his first three seasons in the NHL, there's little doubt Artemi Panarin is one of the top offensive players in the NHL.
And yet, the Blue Jackets star has never been to an All-Star Game.
That's hard to believe, but his numbers in 2018 show he's yet again a deserving choice. Through the team's first 30 games, Panarin is more than a point-per-game producer with seven goals and 25 assists for 32 points. He's on pace for 87 points, which would be a career high, outpacing the 82 he had a year ago in his first season with the Jackets.

But wait, there's more:
And in a spectacle that celebrates the game's most creative players, there's little doubt Panarin - one of the most skilled players with the puck on his stick in the game - would be a great addition to the All-Star Game.
In a division with some of the top scorers in the NHL, Panarin more than deserves his spot alongside them in San Jose.