By MIKE HEIKA / 

ST. LOUIS – Call Sergei Zubov the reluctant All-Star.

Zubov was selected Thursday by the NHL's Hockey Operations Department as a Western Conference reserve for the All-Star Game on Jan. 27 in Atlanta – his fourth overall selection and his first since 2000.

"Individual awards are just not something he thinks about," said Stars center Mike Modano. "I think they may have been worried in the past that he would say no, so they didn't even ask him."

Zubov said there have been instances in the past when he has not wanted to attend.

"Honestly, there were a few times when I was trying to save myself for the playoffs," Zubov said. "But there are some great memories in the games where I did go."

One such time was when Zubov was at a practice for the World Team and he and his teammates couldn't score on Dominik Hasek.

"Forty times, I would say, on shootouts, and only one of them scored," Zubov said. "Mats Sundin, I think it was. It was something I won't forget."

Zubov has been battling a hand injury and also was hit in the foot by a puck in Chicago on Wednesday. He was limping after the game but said he would be fine Saturday against Los Angeles. And while he might need the rest at the end of the month, he said he was excited about going to Atlanta.

"This is a huge honor for me, and I am very excited to represent my team at the All-Star Game," he said. "I'm really looking forward to it."

Zubov, 37, ranked third in scoring among NHL defensemen heading into Thursday's game with 35 points (4 goals, 31 assists) in 43 games. He ranks third all time among European-born defensemen with 767 points (behind Nicklas Lidstrom and Borje Salming). He tied Derian Hatcher for third on the Stars' all-time games-played list Thursday.