It is still hard to believe I am here at the All-Star Game. It's so unexpected.
I was packing for a trip with the family to Santa Barbara, California, when I got a text from our general manager Kelly McCrimmon to get back to him as soon as I could. Of course, your mind is racing with what it could be. I texted back asking if it could wait until we finished packing, and that is when he told me I had been named to the All-Star Game.
That was Monday, and ever since then I have been asking myself: Is this really happening? But it is.
It's too bad that Matty couldn't make it because he is having a great year, especially for a rookie, but for me, everything about this is a pinch-me moment. I can't believe I am here. This is another step in my journey. Since I was a kid, it's always been a dream to go to the All-Star Game. But the reality of actually being here, you can't wrap your head around it. It probably won't hit me until it's in the past and I'm reminiscing and reflecting on all of this.
Friday, I am doing fastest skater. I don't know what's going to happen, but I just want to make sure I don't look goofy. There are a lot of fast skaters out there and I can't remember the last time I did this. I don't know where I am going to finish, but I would like to be near the top. I have talked to some people that have done it, and they have said to just relax and have fun, so that's what I'm going to try to do. We will see how it turns out, but it should be an amazing night. I'm really looking forward to it.
We got in here yesterday and I made the trip with Tasha and our son Ford, who is 8 months old. I am really excited to have him here and I'm looking forward to the memories we are going to make. It will be cool to have the photos from this and maybe him with some of the biggest players in the game. It's just cool to experience all of this and enjoy the weekend.
It is going to be awesome for myself, my family and the little guy who is already really into hockey. In Vegas, when he goes to the games, he is right on the glass beforehand and I get him a puck and sometimes he chews on it. He is really into it all; he follows the players on the ice and everything. I'm looking forward to sharing all of this with him and it will be cool to have him around and get some pictures, maybe one with Alex Ovechkin. It will be great to see Alex again too, after playing with him in the past in Washington.
There are so many guys I want to meet. I have already met like half of them, and it's been really cool to hang out with them. I'm looking forward to doing more of that this weekend.
