Suspended Ovechkin Chooses Not to Attend All-Star Game Here's something you hardly ever hear about the N.H.L. All-Star Game: It may actually be interesting. If Sunday's game in Ottawa does defy tradition by being worth paying attention to, it will because of who won't be there, starting with Alex Ovechkin. On Tuesday, Ovechkin, the Capitals captain and one of the N.H.L."s biggest stars players, announced that he would skip the All-Star Game because he was suspended three games for an illegal check Monday. "My heart is not there," Ovechkin said Tuesday. I'm suspended, so why I have to go there? I love the game; it's great event. I'd love to be there, but I'm suspended. I don't want to be a target. I feel I'm not deserving to be there right now. If I'm suspended, I have to be suspended. Washington General Manager George McPhee said that Ovechkin informed him he was not going because he didn't want to be a distraction at the game. N.H.L. Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement: "In light of yesterday's suspension, we informed the Capitals that, while Alex Ovechkin was still welcome to participate in this weekend's All Star festivities in Ottawa, we would not be insisting that he do so. We now understand that Alex has decided to withdraw from this weekend's events. Given the circumstances involved, we understand Mr. Ovechkin's decision in this regard and have no intention of pursuing this matter further. Also not going to Ottawa: Chicago captain Jonathan Toews, out with an upper body injury; and Detroit captain Nicklas Lidstrom and the Anaheim icon Teemu Selanne, both taking a pass because of their advanced age (41). Ovechkin was suspended for launching himself into Pittsburgh's Zbynek Michalek on Sunday, as shown in inarguable detail by Brendan Shanahan in the league's explanatory video: Noting that no penalty was assessed on the play, Ovechkin said, "I don't believe I deserve to get a three-game suspension for the hit that I did." It is the third suspension of Ovechkin's N.H.L. career. In 2009-10 he was suspended for a knee-to-knee hit on Carolina's Tim Gleason and for pushing Chicago's Brian Campbell into the boards from behind, injuring Campbell.