New York Islanders center John Tavares has been named captain of the Metropolitan Division team in place of Ovechkin.
Kuznetsov, 23, is fifth in the League with 49 points and is tied for first with a plus-24 rating. This will be his first NHL All-Star Game.
The Capitals announced Wednesday that Ovechkin would have to miss the game because of a lower-body injury.
"This was a hard decision but we talk about it, coaching staff, trainers, and we tried to battle through it. But it's stayed the same," Ovechkin said after Washington's 4-3 overtime loss to the Philadelphia Flyers at Verizon Center on Wednesday. "I have to get ready for the rest of the year, get healthy, and I think we have a good chance to have success and I want to be a part of it. I don't want to miss important things."
Per League rules, for missing the All-Star Game Ovechkin will have to miss the Capitals' first game after the All-Star break, Feb. 2 against the Florida Panthers. Toews will miss the Blackhawks' first game after the break, Feb. 2 against the Colorado Avalanche.
Neal, 28, has 18 goals and 30 points in 50 games. This will be his second NHL All-Star Game; he played in the 2012 game while a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
