The NHL released the names that will appear on the ballot for the 2012 All Star Game. Among the 125 players, 6 are with the Pens: James Neal, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal,  Kris Letang and Marc-Andre Fleury.

Last season, Kris Letang was not on the ballot. I believe it was Crosby, Malkin, Fleury and Paul Martin. However, Letang made it to the ASG via write-in. Actually, Letang received the most votes of any defenseman and any player that received a write-in vote with 477,960 votes. Unreal.

This year, I am proposing a new write-in campaign. In addition to obviously voting our tails off to get all 6 Pens currently on the ballot to the ASG, I say we launch a massive Pens fan write-in campaign for Zbynek Michalek and Brooks Orpik. Orpik would seem like an obvious choice for an All-Star, being an Olympic silver medalist and Stanley Cup winner.

In addition, the guys over at HEYYYYY FANNNSSSS came up with the most brilliant idea I’ve heard in quite some time: write in campaign for Matt Cooke. (Check out their post here) Also a big thank you to Mad Chad from 412 Sports Talk for spreading the word on this movement as well!

Cooke is having an amazing season and is proving everyone who can’ t stand him wrong. He is instrumental to the Pen’s PK unit and has 5 goals and 4 assists on the season. Cookie making it to the ASG would be a massive slap in the face to everyone that thinks things about Cookie that Pens fans simply know aren’t true. There is a smile on my face as I write this when I think about the blogs and Tweets seething with disdain.

Make it happen. Write in campaign for Cookie, Orp and Z.

And seriously, how sick was Cooke’s penalty shot goal last night? So happy I was there to see it!

Let’s Go Pens!

**If you made it here you are on the right track for the #Sherobucks Scavenger Hunt! Letang is a hell of a defenseman. But he isn’t one of this team’s only greats to wear the sweater! Letang has had some bad luck this season though with the suspension and the hit from Pacioretty. Letang has 77 problems but skating backwards ain’t one! Some other Pens though with 7s on their jerseys have been fantastic. Find other 7s to keep playing #Sherobucks!**