There's nothing wrong with omitting Phil Kessel from the NHL All-Star roster. At least not within the inane context in which the league has defined the selection process.
Since the teams for the three-on-three tournament are chosen to represent their respective divisions, and since each team's got to have at least one representative, it's virtually impossible to have more than two guys from any team. Sidney Crosby has to be there, plain and simple. He's the star of stars. Kris Letang was picked because, one, there are only 12 total defensemen in the event and, two, he can handle three-on-three. And the only other player who could have been bumped, I think, was Josh Bailey of the Islanders and ... eh, OK, bump Bailey for Kessel.
But the real issue here is that there's a real honor in being an All-Star selection while there's zero relevance to the game itself. And as the league's finding out, that's not an easy gap to bridge.
My solution: Pick the rosters by conference, then divide up the little three-on-three teams as needed from there, naming them after Mario Lemieux, Gordie Howe and so forth. Do whatever it takes to get the best players there, then have the requisite fun.
What's hilarious is that Kessel's probably been the league's premier performer in real three-on-three competition.
Ask the Oilers ...
And the Jets ...
And just the other night, the Bruins ...
But hey, poor Phil will have to settle for a few blessed days away from the rink and the additional chance it affords for him to rest and recover for the remainder of what might be his finest NHL season. You'd better believe that would be Sid's preference.