Getzlaf, Pronger selected as All-Stars

Back in his early days of junior hockey, Ryan Getzlaf was like many youngsters who dreamed of being a star in the NHL but also worried if they would ever be drafted.

Getzlaf’s only worry now is dealing with impending stardom, after the Ducks’ center earned his first All-Star game selection Thursday as the Western Conference reserves were announced for the Jan. 27 event in Atlanta.

A participant in the NHL’s YoungStars game last year in Dallas, Getzlaf earned a spot in the showcase game as he leads the Ducks with 48 points. The 22-year-old center is on a career-best nine-game point streak and has 17 goals and 31 assists.

“Obviously it’s an exciting time for me,” Getzlaf said. “It was something that I’ve looked forward to and hoped that I could be a part of this year. It’s an honor to be selected to something like this.”

In his third full season after the Ducks took him with the 19th pick in the 2003 draft, Getzlaf has built on his breakout performance in the Stanley Cup playoffs last season, when he led the team with 17 points.

“You kind of take it in steps when you’re coming up,” he said. “I never really thought I was going to get drafted, then that happened. I never thought I would make it. And it’s just steppingstones along the way, I think, and that’s all part of putting together a good career.

“Everybody wants to be the go-to guy and have that kind of pressure on their shoulders and I’ve been fortunate enough to be given that opportunity to do that right now.”

In his first season as captain, Chris Pronger will join Getzlaf as the Ducks will have two All-Stars for the second consecutive season. Pronger’s nod is the sixth of his 14-year career.

Pronger is fifth among NHL defensemen with 32 points and his nine goals rank fourth.

“It’s always an honor,” he said. “I don’t think it ever gets old for anybody. It’s an honor to be recognized for your play and your performance.”

A notable omission is winger Corey Perry, whose 23 goals put him third in the conference behind Calgary’s Jarome Iginla and Detroit’s Henrik Zetterberg, who were selected as starters.

Perry was probably hurt by the league opting for wide representation; at least one player from all 15 Western teams was selected.

“It’s unfortunate that he isn’t able to be part of it,” Getzlaf said. “You’ve got to tip your hat to the rest of the league, I guess, and just realize that we have a lot of good players throughout the league. And there’s a few guys that I’m sure got left off the list that probably could have been there.”

Todd Bertuzzi could have just as easily been talking about himself when he addressed the Ducks’ recent offensive surge in which they’ve scored five goals in each of their last two victories.

“When the goals start going in for guys who haven’t contributed as frequently as they want to, the confidence goes up and I think we’re getting a lot of that,” Bertuzzi said. “Whenever you can get secondary scoring and try to relieve the pressure from Perry and Getz, I think it’s a bonus for our team.”

Bertuzzi is recovering from a slow start after joining the Ducks in the off-season. He had seven points in his first 18 games and missed another 14 because of concussion-related symptoms.

“I was pretty disappointed, coming in and feeling good,” he said. “And then that happened. Those are things that are out of your control. It took me a little bit longer to get my feet underneath me. No better time than now.”

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eric.stephens@latimes.com