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Philadelphia Flyers forward Scott Hartnell has played a dual role at an extremely high level on the ice this season — his usual role of agitator, but also one of top-line forward and second-leading scorer on the team. Hartnell has found a home on the left side of first-line center Claude Giroux and (when healthy) Jaromir Jagr this year, taking full advantage of his skilled linemates and heading for a career-high 74-point pace. So it seems pretty strange that he was left off of the All-Star team, as announced by the league on Thursday.

Head coach Peter Laviolette said it would be “criminal” if Hartnell was left off the team, but that’s exactly what happened. In his place will go more marketable stars who may not be having as impactful of a season, like Alexander Ovechkin. Whether the NHL admits it or not, part of that is undoubtedly due to Hartnell’s on-ice demeanor, which specializes in chirping on the ice and from the bench, along with and abundance of physical play after the whistle (e.g. the scrum he ignited at the close of the Winter Classic).

There’s a good chance that Hartnell will still get a call if someone is unable to play due to injury, but he’ll also have to contend with New Jersey’s Patrik Elias as the first person who gets called, since Elias is having an even better statistical season and not a single Devil was named to the team. The Devils are not having the type of season that the Flyers are, sitting on the edge of the playoff picture with 50 points through 43 games, but Elias is having an exemplary season. He’s racked up 40 points (15 g, 20 a) for his highest per-game average in three years, and the league could decide to name him as the first replacement in order to get another team represented in the game.