BOSTON -- Some players around the National Hockey League have already circled the last weekend in January, looking ahead to a few days off for a vacation with the family.

Panthers defenseman Jason Garrison isn’t. He doesn’t know what he’ll be doing when the All-Star break comes around, but if he keeps playing like this, he may be working.

“I think I would be excited to go and would bang it out in Ottawa,’’ Garrison said of the possibility of being selected to the All-Star team with a grin. “I have not heard anything. Honestly, I haven’t thought of it once. I don’t even think it’s an option. There are about 22 players on our team who deserve it more than I do.’’

If Garrison is indeed selected to play at the All-Star Game, he will be a player in demand by the gathered media. Garrison is definitely being noticed. His story of perseverance and proving the naysayers wrong is a good one.

Undrafted as a junior, Garrison went to the University of Minnesota-Duluth with the thought he just wanted to improve as a player. “I never even thought about being drafted,’’ he has said. “It never even crossed my mind. That’s how far away I was.’’

Garrison ended up blossoming as a collegiate player and left after three seasons once signing a free agent deal with the Panthers. Jacques Martin, Florida’s general manager at the time, worked hard to get Garrison to sign and said then that Garrison had the potential to become a top-four defenseman in the league.

“It’s a great success story and it shows you that there isn’t just one road to the NHL,’’ assistant coach Gord Murphy said. “Everyone thinks there is one golden path and he proves that just isn’t true. He’s a late bloomer, late developer. But he always had a strong work ethic and a desire to play hard. Those are the qualities you look for in a strong NHL defenseman. He has that.’’

After a season in the minors, Garrison played 39 games with Florida in 2009-10 and showed enough promise that the Panthers offered him a two-year contract. With an increased role last season, Garrison scored a career-high five goals while becoming a much-counted on defensive player.

These days, however, Garrison has been singled out for his offensive contributions. Garrison went into the Christmas break with 10 goals – most among all NHL defensemen. And he’s been leading that category for some time.

“It seems like every time you are watching the ticker for scores, you see his name pop up,’’ said Boston defenseman Dennis Seidenberg, Garrison’s teammate in Florida for a part of the 2009-10 season. “It’s really nice to see him break out like that. He’s having a lot of success, playing a lot of minutes. You didn’t see that when I was there. He was very quiet, but man, so strong. He’s like a beast.’’

It’s Garrison’s booming slap shot that has brought him his goals, as all but one have come from 45 feet or more. Newcomer Brian Campbell has helped, for sure, and has assisted on all but the past two of Garrison’s 10 goals. “A lot of ice was open to him early,’’ Murphy said, “because everyone was keying on Campbell. Now they’re keying on him.’’