Neal replaces Ovie at All-Star Game

Late addition James Neal (right) will join his teammate, Evgeni Malkin, during All-Star Weekend.

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Neal began the regular season with nine goals in his first 12 games and has ranked among NHL goal-scoring leaders since. The 24-year-old Whitby, Ont., native has 27 goals, tied with Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews for second place in the race for the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy. Neal tallied the 100th goal of his NHL career -- and matched his single-season career high set with the Dallas Stars in 2009-10 -- in the Penguins' 3-2 shootout victory at St. Louis Tuesday. Neal leads the NHL with 210 shots and is tied for the NHL lead with 13 power-play goals. The Penguins have won nine consecutive games and are 17-3-2 overall when Neal scores a goal.

Neal earned his second invitation to NHL All-Star Weekend, having skated for the NHL Rookies against the Sophomores in the 2009 YoungStars game at Montreal.

Montreal Canadiens defenceman Raphael Diaz and New York Rangers forward Carl Hagelin have been added to the roster of rookies participating in the all-star weekend, the league announced on Wednesday.

The pair replace New Jersey Devils defenceman Adam Larsson and forward Adam Henrique.

Diaz was signed as a free agent by the Canadiens in May 2011 after spending the prior decade with the junior and senior teams of Swiss club EV Zug.

Hagelin played with the Sodertalje SK junior club in Sweden before enrolling at the University of Michigan, where he was named Second Team All-American in his senior year of 2010-11.

The 2012 Molson Canadian NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft will be held on Thursday to divide the All-Stars and Rookies into two teams -- Team Alfredsson, led by captain Daniel Alfredsson of the All-Star host Ottawa Senators and his assistant captain Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers; and Team Chara, featuring captain Zdeno Chara of the Boston Bruins and his assistant captain Joffrey Lupul of the Toronto Maple Leafs.