Rookie Justin Faulk Will Represent Hurricanes At 2012 All-Star Weekend In Ottawa

Defenseman Justin Faulk was chosen as the lone Carolina Hurricanes player to attend the 2012 All-Star Weekend in Ottawa in late January, earning a spot as one of 12 rookies who will participate in the All-Star Skills Competition on Jan. 28. Unless there are roster changes, Carolina will not have a representative at the Jan. 29 All-Star Game.

Faulk is in his first full professional season, having won an NCAA title at Minnesota-Duluth last spring before joining the Charlotte Checkers for the 2011 postseason. The 19-year-old has three goals — one behind three rookie blueliners with four this season — and six assists for nine points in 28 games this season. He ranks first in ice time among all rookies, logging 22:03 a night.

Last season, Eric Staal captained one team in the All-Star Game, which was played in Raleigh, while Cam Ward and Jeff Skinner also participated. Defenseman Jamie McBain, like Faulk this year, took part in the skills competition as a rookie participant.

The release from the team is after the jump.

JUSTIN FAULK CHOSEN TO ATTEND 2012 ALL-STAR WEEKEND

Defenseman will be one of 12 NHL rookies to participate in Skills Competition on Jan. 28

RALEIGH, NC – The National Hockey League today announced that Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Justin Faulk has been selected as one of 12 NHL rookies who will participate in the 2012 NHL All-Star Weekend in Ottawa, Ont. He will participate in the NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft on Jan. 26, and the 2012 Molson Canadian NHL All-Star Skills Competition on Jan. 28.

Faulk, 19, has totaled three goals and six assists (9 points) in 28 games during his rookie NHL season with the Hurricanes. The South St. Paul, MN native currently leads all NHL rookie blueliners in ice time per game (22:03). The Hurricanes’ second-round selection (37th overall) in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Faulk made his NHL debut in the Hurricanes’ season opener against Tampa Bay on Oct. 7, and netted his first NHL goal at Winnipeg on Dec. 9.

Faulk (6’0", 205 lbs.) is in his first full professional season, after spending one year at the University of Minnesota-Duluth in 2010-11, where he helped the Bulldogs capture their first NCAA Championship. He led UMD defensemen in goals (8), assists (25) and points (33) in 39 games, ranking tied for sixth among NCAA defensemen, first among freshman blueliners and tied for eighth among all first-year NCAA skaters in scoring (33 points). Faulk joined Charlotte of the American Hockey League (AHL) at the conclusion of his collegiate season, earning two assists in 13 Calder Cup playoff games.