"My heart is not there. I got suspended, so why [do] I have to go there?" the Capitals' captain and a two-time league MVP said Tuesday. "I love the [All-Star] game. It's a great event. I love to be there.
"I feel I'm not deserving to be there right now. If I'm suspended, I have to be suspended."
Capitals' GM, George McPhee, supported his All-Pro star with his decision.
"He really doesn't feel like he deserves to be there and doesn't want to be a distraction," McPhee told ESPN.com. "When he came in this morning, he said, 'I'm a suspended player and I don't deserve to be there.' "
Ovechkin was suspended for three games on Monday after an incident.
"Most bad thing is it's going to be all my career it's going to be like that," Ovechkin said Tuesday, referring to his status as a repeat offender. "My game is play physical, my game is play hard and I don't think it was bad hit, dirty hit. Yeah, I jumped but he don't get hurt. I don't get two minutes. I don't think it was three-game suspension."
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