A NEW HOPE: Austin Wagner on His Love of Yoda, Mace Windu and Star Wars

Austin Wagner has never played in a Star Wars Night but that doesn't mean he isn't a big fan. Quite the opposite actually.
The LA Kings rookie forward said A New Hope is his favorite Star Wars film, the OG of the OG trio of what is now eight films in the original storyline.
"As a kid, I watched it a lot with my dad and it was just one of my favorite movies," Wagner said.
How much is a lot?

"Too much to count," he said about A New Hope and the original trio. "I'm a big Star Wars guy."
Saturday's Star Wars Night presented by Mammoth Mountain will
feature a special in-game look and feel
and if it's anything like what was put together for 90s Night, I'm looking forward to it. There will be Star Wars characters at the pregame fan fest and on the concourse throughout the game, and a pretty sweet looking Kings and Star Wars beanie giveaway presented by Mammoth Mountain for all fans in attendance.
Not to mention, following the game, there will be a Star Wars-themed pyrotechnic light show on the ice … or maybe we should say a lightsaber show.

Star Wars Night Tickets

Speaking of lightsabers, Wagner said that Yoda, the legendary Jedi Master, is his favorite character, which is interesting because Wagner and Yoda seem to be polar opposites.
One is young and tall, one is old and small, but both have the gift of quickness. Fast skater, he is.
In a Jedi capacity, Yoda is top of the line. Asked which of his Kings teammates would make the best Jedi, Wagner said Matt Luff, but quickly retracted that.
"Actually, he would not be," Wagner added. "I don't know who would be a good one."
Wagner also liked Samuel L. Jackson's character, Mace Windu, from the prequel trilogy.
"Chancellor, you are under arrest," Wagner quoted from Revenge of the Sith.

Personally, I always liked Windu because he was the only Jedi with a purple lightsaber, which, let's face it, is awesome and at the same time, it also might make him the most Kings-themed Star Wars character, fitting the retro Kings color scheme.
One Star Wars element that has always intrigued me is the Family Guy Star Wars parodies. Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane is a noted Star Wars fanatic and his episodes do a great job of mirroring the storyline fairly accurately, while still poking fun at it.
"Something, Something Dark Side," Wagner said, accurately quoting the title of the second Family Guy Star Wars episode that chronicles The Empire Strikes Back, one of three episodes the show created in total. "I forget the other ones, but yeah they're pretty good, they're obviously making fun of it, but it made me laugh a little bit, I like Family Guy, too."
But back to the on-ice play; could anyone from the Star Wars series be an asset for the Kings as a player?

When asked which character from the movie would make the best hockey player, Wagner thought that Jabba the Hutt might make a good addition as a goaltender.
"Jabba The Hutt would be a good goalie," Wagner said. "He could just sit there and you couldn't get the puck past him, he's a fat old man."