Burns reacton to All-Star nod; Miettinen returns vs. Predators

Updates:

Aeros defenseman Maxim Noreau has made the AHL All-Star Game for the second year in a row. He's the second-leading scorer in Houston. The game is Jan. 31 in Hershey.

Also, did my All-Star fantasy draft on 1500 ESPN today: I got Steven Stamkos, Rick Nash, Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Brad Richards, Eric Staal, Dustin Byfuglien, Dan Boyle,Shea Weber, Zdeno Chara Marc-Andrew Fleury and Tim Thomas.

Mackey and Reusse got Evgeni Malkin, Alex Ovechkin, Phil Kessel, Patrick Kane, Jarome Iginla, David Backes, Marc Staal, Nick Lidstrom, Mike Green, Brent Burns, Jonas Hiller, Cam Ward.

We didn't pick Crosby and Toews because I'm assuming they'll be the captains picking the teams Jan. 28. If it's not Toews, I'm gonna be ticked because I essentially allowed them to take Ovechkin with the first pick!!! And of course, I forgot Letang and Keith were voted in as starters, or I would have taken them.

It was great radio.

The Predators have won five in a row, starting with the New Year's Eve win over the Wild. Pekka Rinne gets the cage tonight. He's given up a goal a game the last four starts.

Same 6 D. Jose Theodore in the nets. Richards said he hasn't made the decision which forward comes out for Miettinen. He said he may want Brad Staubitz to play against the Predators, so if that's the case, Patrick O'Sullivan will probably be removed.

Niklas Backstrom is being seen today by Marc Philippon in Vail. The hip specialist will then report back to GM Chuck Fletcher in the next day or so.

One linesman change for tonight because Dan Schachte couldn't make it in due to the snowy weather in the southeast.

Brent Burns was super excited and super nervous about his All-Star Game nod. He doesn't know what to expect because it's new to him, and he's especially nervous about the backyard-like fantasy draft to get chosen for teams.

He joked that he was also nervous because "Hammer (defense partner Nick Schultz)" wouldn't be there to "bail me out all the time."

He said he's going to limit his dad to a couple autographs a player: "My parents are super-excited. ... Getting to bring my daughter, she probably won't remember, but it'll be fun to get some cool pictures with her there."

He joked that his wife, Susan, "isn't a real hockey wife. She doesn't really get it. She wanted to go to Mexico."

Burns always jokes that his wife will say, "Good game when I'm minus-3."

Read the rest of the coverage in tomorrow's paper. Here's the full additional All-Stars, so let the debates begin: Ales Hemsky over Martin Havlat (cough, cough)?

36 Additional All-Stars

Corey Perry – Anaheim Ducks
Jarome Iginla – Calgary Flames
Eric Staal – Carolina Hurricanes
Patrick Kane – Chicago Blackhawks
Patrick Sharp – Chicago Blackhawks
Matt Duchene – Colorado Avalanche
Rick Nash – Columbus Blue Jackets
Loui Eriksson – Dallas Stars
Brad Richards – Dallas Stars
Ales Hemsky – Edmonton Oilers
Anze Kopitar – Los Angeles Kings
Patrik Elias – New Jersey Devils
Claude Giroux – Philadelphia Flyers
David Backes – St. Louis Blues
Steven Stamkos – Tampa Bay Lightning
Martin St. Louis – Tampa Bay Lightning
Phil Kessel – Toronto Maple Leafs
Ryan Kesler – Vancouver Canucks
Henrik Sedin – Vancouver Canucks
Daniel Sedin – Vancouver Canucks
Alex Ovechkin – Washington Capitals

Defensemen
Dustin Byfuglien – Atlanta Thrashers
Tobias Enstrom – Atlanta Thrashers
Zdeno Chara – Boston Bruins
Nicklas Lidstrom – Detroit Red Wings
Brent Burns – Minnesota Wild
Shea Weber – Nashville Predators
Marc Staal – New York Rangers
Erik Karlsson – Ottawa Senators
Dan Boyle – San Jose Sharks
Mike Green – Washington Capitals

Goaltenders
Jonas Hiller – Anaheim Ducks
Tim Thomas – Boston Bruins
Cam Ward – Carolina Hurricanes
Carey Price – Montreal Canadiens
Henrik Lundqvist – New York Rangers

12 Rookies

Rookies
Cam Fowler – Anaheim Ducks
Tyler Seguin – Boston Bruins
Tyler Ennis – Buffalo Sabres
Jeff Skinner – Carolina Hurricanes
Kevin Shattenkirk – Colorado Avalanche
Jordan Eberle – Edmonton Oilers
Taylor Hall – Edmonton Oilers
Evgeny Dadonov – Florida Panthers
Michael Grabner – New York Islanders
Derek Stepan – New York Rangers
Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Phoenix Coyotes
Logan Couture – San Jose Sharks

I'll be on 1500 ESPN at 1:35 p.m. today with Reusse and Mackey. "Russo Radio" will be Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. on 1500 ESPN.