Granato to Start in All-Star Debut

Eleven months ago, Tony Granato was recovering from brain surgery and wondering if his hockey career had ended.

Instead, his career reached a peak Thursday when he was inserted into the Western Conference starting lineup for Saturday’s NHL All-Star game, which will be played in his new hometown of San Jose.

Granato, a former King who signed with the Sharks as a free agent last summer, had been added to the All-Star roster as a special pick by Commissioner Gary Bettman. He became a starter in place of Colorado’s Joe Sakic, who has a leg injury and won’t play.

It is the first All-Star berth in an eight-year career for Granato, who has 14 goals and 22 points in 42 games this season.

Boston center Adam Oates was added to the Eastern squad to replace NHL goal-scoring leader Jaromir Jagr of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who suffered an ankle injury Wednesday. Jagr will be replaced in the starting lineup by Philadelphia winger John LeClair.