Kasatonov Is First Duck All-Star Pick

The first Mighty Duck to be chosen for an NHL All-Star game is Alexei Kasatonov, a veteran defenseman who played for 12 years with the Central Red Army in the former Soviet Union before joining the NHL in 1990.

“I’m happy, emotional and very grateful,” said Kasatonov, 34, whose selection as one of the Western Conference reserves will be announced today.

Each NHL team is assured of at least one representative in the Jan. 22 game at New York.

Defenseman Rob Blake, 24, of the Kings will also be added to the Western Conference team today, joining teammates Wayne Gretzky and Dave Taylor. Blake has eight goals and 20 assists in 36 games.

King left wing Luc Robitaille apparently will not play in the All-Star game for the first time in seven years.

Gretzky led all NHL players in the fans’ voting for the first time in his career. Taylor is expected to be added to the team next week when NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman selects one veteran to each conference’s roster.

The Kings’ Barry Melrose will coach the Western Conference team.

In all likelihood, Anaheim’s first All-Star would have been another Russian player, center Anatoli Semenov, but he will be sidelined until February after dislocating his left elbow on Dec. 7. Semenov was leading the Ducks with nine goals and 15 assists when he was injured.

Kasatonov has three goals and eight assists.

*

Staff writer Lisa Dillman contributed to this story.