Blues prospect Jonas Junland has been selected to play for the PlanetUSA AHL All-Star team at the 2009 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Charter Communications, to be played later this month at the DCU Center in Worcester, Mass.

Junland, 21, has registered 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists) in 31 games this season with Peoria. His eight goals are second most among all AHL defenseman this year and his point total ranks him 17th. His two shorthanded goals are tops among blue liners, while his five power-play goals are fourth.

A native of Linkoping, Sweden, Junland was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the third round (#64) of the 2006 draft. He made his NHL debut on Dec. 18 in Washington and recorded two penalty minutes. Junland has spent the past two seasons playing for Linkoping HC in the Swedish Elite League.

The team comprises 24 players – 13 forwards, eight defensemen and three goaltenders – born outside of Canada; the Canadian team was announced on Tuesday (release). AHL fans determined the starting lineups via on-line balloting at theahl.com, while a committee of AHL coaches selected the remainder of the rosters. All 29 AHL teams are represented by at least one All-Star.

The 2009 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Charter Communications will feature the top young talent in the American Hockey League competing in the 2009 AHL All-Star Skills Competition on Sunday, January 25 (4:00 p.m. ET), and the 2009 AHL All-Star Game on Monday, January 26 (7:00 p.m. ET). The event will be televised nationally in the United States and Canada.

Of the 455 players to take part in the AHL All-Star Classic since 1995, more than 94 percent have competed in the National Hockey League, including Patrice Bergeron, Brad Boyes, Dan Boyle, Brian Campbell, Zdeno Chara, Rick DiPietro, Jiri Hudler, Miikka Kiprusoff, Kari Lehtonen, Ryan Miller, Zach Parise, Martin St. Louis, Jason Spezza, Eric Staal and Tomas Vokoun.