Washington Capitals star forward Alex Ovechkin has opted to sit out of this year's All-Star Game forthe fourth time in his career. "I have to get ready for the second half of the year," Ovechkin said after his Ken Giles Jersey team's 2-1 win over the ColumbusBlue Jackets, ."I have to be healthy and focus on different things." Sporting News: | Due to NHL rules, Jose Cruz Jersey the Capitals captain will be forced to sit out either the last game prior to the All-Star break or the first game back but he's not too worried about that. "The most important thing is not the regular year, its the playoffs," Ovechkin said. "You dont want to mi s the game, but the rules are the rules," Gulitti's thread continued."Im healthy, thank God, and I just made this decision because I have to be in good shape and I have to be ready and good in the playoffs." MORE: Your Division Captains will be as follows: Atlantic Division - David Pastrnak ( ) Central Division - Nathan MacKinnon ( ) Metropolitan Division - Alex Ovechkin ( ) Jeff Bagwell Jersey Pacific Division - Connor McDavid ( ) NHL (@NHL) Ovechkin was voted Metropolitan Division captain and once again thanked the fans for voting him in yet again, saying:"Its a hard decision, obviously, being the captain and mi sing the All-Star Game, but have to do best for me and for Alex Bregman Jersey my team. In 2012, Ovechkin skipped the event while serving a suspension and in 2016 he sat out totendtoa lower-body injury. Last season, , making the 2020 All-Star game the second-consecutive time he has withdrawn. Now 34-years-old, the star forward is averagingjust under a point-per-game for the first time in three seasons (36 points in 38 games). The back-to-back Rocket Dallas Keuchel Jersey Richard trophy winner currently ranks fourth in goals with 23.