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All-Star Game a family affair for Nielsen |
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NHL All-Star weekend is all about the fun for Frans Nielsen.
The lone Detroit Red Wings representative in this season’s game, Nielsen will be making his first appearance in the mid-season classic and intends to savor every moment of the experience.
“I’m just going to have a good time,” Nielsen said. “I guess that’s what it’s all about out there.
The first Dane to play in the NHL All-Star Game, Nielsen is sharing the experience in Los Angeles with much of his family that has made the trek across the Atlantic Ocean from his home in Denmark and his wife’s home in Sweden.
“I’m really excited about it for sure,” Nielsen said. “I’m really pumped. I found out when my dad was on the (father’s) trip there with us in Chicago. You could see it in his eyes how much it meant to him, too.
“We had a team dinner the one night, the first night in Chicago where (Detroit general manager) Kenny (Holland) told me I was playing. (My dad) was probably more proud than I was. He was pumped. I think it’s always like that. We’re really proud about being in this league, but I don’t think there is anyone more proud than our dads when we’re on the trip. It’s special for them and it’s going to be special for him out there.
“Unfortunately my mom couldn’t make it - she couldn’t get off from work - but my dad is coming out, my wife, my son, my father-in-law and my wife’s sister is coming out, too. It’s going to be quite a group out there. It’s a long flight for a couple of days out there, but they’re excited about it, too. They wouldn’t miss it.
“It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be really a proud moment and one of those things when you retire that’ll be a highlight.”
During his time with the New York Islanders, Nielsen never gave much thought to an all-star game appearance, assuming those would be reserved for teammate John Tavares.
Coming to Detroit this season, Nielsen wasn’t thinking he had a chance, either, even though he’s third on the club in scoring with 10-26-36 totals.
“It wasn’t in my mind at all,” Nielsen said. “(Captain) Henrik (Zetterberg) has had a good year. (Thomas) Vanek has had a good year.”
Zetterberg leads the team with 33 points, while Vanek is second with 31 points and shares the goal-scoring lead of 12 with Dylan Larkin.
Once he was confirmed, one of the first congratulatory messages to Nielsen was sent by Tavares.
“I got a text from J.T. and I got one from (former Islanders teammate) Kyle (Okposo) right away,” Nielsen said. “(Tavares) said it was well deserved and he was happy for me.
“It was nice to get a text from them.”
Nielsen is a fan of the new all-star game format implemented last year which sees players from the four NHL divisions - Atlantic, Metropolitan, Central and Pacific - compete in a three-on-three tournament format.
“I watched it last year,” Nielsen said. “It was the first time I watched it til the end. Kind of sometimes five-on-five, you watch the first period and then it gets a little boring. It seems like high intensity now for pretty much all 20 minutes in all the games.
|I’m sure it’s going to be harder than it used to be. It looks like fun from what I was watching last year. This is great. I support it. I’m sure it’s harder than playing five-on-five, and I’m going to get a little more sweat on. I think it was great, great entertainment.
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