Scott Niedermayer named to All-Star team

Ducks defenseman Scott Niedermayer was named to the Western Conference All-Star team, replacing the Stars' Sergei Zubov, who's listed as day-to-day with a bruised foot. I wasn't a big fan of Niedermayer taking the first half of the season off and I'm not a fan of the NHL rewarding him with an all-star bid after playing in a whopping 17 games the season.

In doing so, the league failed to recognize other deserving defensemen, such as Nashville's Marek Zidlicky, who has 14 points in his last 17 games. That's three more than Niedermayer.

I gave up believing nominations were based on the current season's performance long ago, but you expect late replacements to have a little more integrity.

Other replacements this year, all more sensible:

• Marc Savard (BOS) in for Dany Heatley (OTT)
  
• Evengi Malkin (PIT) in for Sidney Crosby (PIT)
  
• Tim Thomas (BOS) in for Martin Brodeur (NJD)
  
• Mike Ribiero (DAS) in for Henrik Zetterberg (DET)
  
• Corey Perry (ANA) in for Paul Stasny (COL)