Shea Weber Named NHL All-Star

As anticipated, Shea Weber will represent the Nashville Predators at the 2011 All-Star Game and skills competition in Raleigh on the weekend of January 28-30. This will be Weber's second trip to the NHL's big event.

Here is the full release from the Predators...

PREDATORS CAPTAIN SHEA WEBER NAMED TO 2011 ALL-STAR GAME

Nashville, Tenn. (January 11, 2011) – Nashville Predators defenseman Shea Weber was named to the 2011 NHL All-Star Game on Wednesday, and will take place in his second career mid-season classic on Jan. 29-30 at RBC Center in Raleigh, N.C.

Weber, 24 (8/14/85), is currently riding a five-game point streak (2g-7a), which ties a career high, and with 14 points (3g-11a) in the last 14 games, he’s one of just three defensemen – along with Atlanta’s Dustin Byfuglien and Phoenix’s Keith Yandle – to lead his team in points. The Sicamous, B.C., native is among the Top 20 defensemen in points, ranked second at the position in shots (135), tied for ninth in hits (107) and 10th in average ice time (24:45). The Predators are 7-0-0 this season when their captain scores, and 10-1-1 when he records a point. Since the start of the 2006-07 campaign, only Washington’s Mike Green (77) has more goals than Weber (69) among NHL defensemen.

Weber also played in the most recent All-Star Game, the 2009 edition in Montreal leading the Western Conference in ice time (22:16), in addition to registering a 103.4 mph blast during All-Star Saturday’s Skills Competition, the third-hardest shot all time. The 6-4, 232-pound blueliner went on to finish fourth in voting for the 2009 Norris Trophy, and seventh in voting for the League’s top defenseman in 2010.

During this past offseason, the Sicamous, B.C, native was named the fifth captain in franchise history last summer, becoming the first Predators draftee to wear the “C.” Nashville’s fourth choice, 49th overall (second round), in the 2003 Entry Draft earned a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, being named the Olympic All-Star Team in the process after tying for second among all tournament defensemen in points (2g-4a) while ranking second on the team in average ice time (20:37).

Weber will now take place in the NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft powered by Cisco on Jan. 28 at 7 p.m. (VERSUS). The player draft to determine team rosters replaces the traditional conference vs. conference format for the first time this season.

All-Star Weekend festivities begin Saturday, Jan. 29 at 6 p.m. CT with the Honda SuperSkills Competition and continue with the 58th NHL All-Star Game presented by Discover at 3 p.m. CT on Sunday, Jan. 30. Live television coverage of both nights will be provided by VERSUS.

More Later...

Buddy Oakes for PredsOnTheGlass