Norstrom Selected as All-Star

When Ziggy Palffy went down with a season-ending shoulder injury, it was generally believed the Kings’ All-Star hopes went with him.

But King defenseman Mattias Norstrom was selected Thursday to play for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game Feb. 8 in St. Paul, Minn.

Norstrom, who has one goal this season, was selected for his prowess as a throwback defenseman who secures the King zone first before joining the rush up ice. Norstrom, 32, was an All-Star in 1999 as an injury replacement.

“The obvious choice for a player to represent the Kings would be Ziggy Palffy,” Norstrom said. “But I am really honored to be in the position I am. I think in the last couple years you’ve seen a change that different styles of players are getting taken, not only players that put up the really good numbers.”

Making Norstrom’s job more difficult than past seasons has been the revolving door at the King blue line. Injuries have sidelined Aaron Miller for 28 games and Lubomir Visnovsky for six games, leaving Norstrom many times as the leader of an untested defense corps.

“After the last game [Tuesday], I called him aside and said, ‘To me, the last six or seven games you’ve played the best I’ve ever seen you play in your career,’ ” King Coach Andy Murray said. “ ... He’s what you look at as a leader, a guy that gets it done on the ice.”

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Visnovsky played Thursday against the Detroit Red Wings despite a strained neck that limited him to 80% efficiency, he said. “If I turn left, the muscles are stiff,” he said. “[But] there’s only one game where guys feel 100% -- your first NHL game.” ... Martin Straka had surgery Thursday to repair damaged cartilage in both knees. Straka, injured in a knee-to-knee hit with Anders Eriksson of the Columbus Blue Jackets on Jan. 10, is expected to return before the end of the regular season.