Daniel Sedin excited for third All-Star appearance

The 2016 Honda NHL All-Star Game in Nashville on Jan. 31 is less than two weeks away. In the lead-up to All-Star Weekend at Bridgestone Arena, NHL.com sat down with a host of this season's participants to talk about playing in the game. In this edition, Daniel Sedin discusses representing the Vancouver Canucks for the third time in the All-Star Game.

1. What does being an All-Star mean to you?

"It means a lot, for sure. To be picked among all the other players who get to go is an honor and this will be my third one so it'll be a lot of fun."

2. What is your favorite memory from previous All-Star Games?

"I think it was the chance to bring my family when I played in the game in Ottawa (in 2012). That was really neat. Me and my brother (Henrik Sedin) got a chance to play with Daniel Alfredsson in the game. That was a lot of fun because [Alfredsson] was a guy you always looked up to. Being a captain in Ottawa for such a long time and being such a successful player there, it meant a lot to me and Henrik to be playing with him in his home rink."

3. If you could invite any celebrity to the All-Star Game, who would it be and why?

"I'd probably invite (professional soccer player) Steven Gerrard. Defenseman Alexander Edler is a big fan of Gerrard's and follows him thoroughly so if I had a chance to tell him that I invited him to the game, he'd probably want to know where he is. That would be good."

4. Who from your divisional All-Star team would you put on your trio if you were the coach of the team?

"That's so tough to do because there are so many great players, they can all skate, score. I think (Edmonton Oilers forward) Taylor Hall is a fast player so maybe I'd put him on my line to even it out a little bit. I'll pick either one of those three defensemen; they can all skate and are so good. If I had to choose, maybe I'd choose the two right-handed shots (Brent Burns of the San Jose Sharks; Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings)."

5. In a perfect world, if you were given the option to pick what song you skate out to for player introductions at the All-Star Game, what song would you choose?

"I'll pass on that one. Nothing comes to mind really."

6. If you could have dinner with three players from this year's All-Star Game, who would you pick and why?

"There are two other Swedes in this game, Nicklas Backstrom and Erik Karlsson, so I'd definitely pick those two players for obvious reasons. That would be pretty cool. The third would have to be Jaromir Jagr because I'd want to know his secret to playing so well for all these years."

7. Cowboy boots or cowboy hat as a fashion accessory?

"Neither. I love country music but that's not my fashion style. I would never be caught in either a cowboy hat or boots. I'd definitely be laughed at if the guys saw me entering the room."

8. Alex Ovechkin passed 500 goals this season. Do you think he can get to 800 before he retires?

"How old is he? Thirty. Another 300 goals in about six seasons; that's 50 a season. Yes, why not."

9. What would surpassing Markus Naslund's franchise record for goals mean to you?

"The night I matched him (with 346 goals on Jan. 11) I said he will always be the best goal scorer in my mind. He did it in less games and had a better shot. For me, he's still No. 1 but when he first came to Vancouver, he was in a similar situation as [me and Henrik] were. He went through some tough times early on but was able to turn it around. Not so much from talking to him, but by just watching him prepare and how he played and everything he did, on and off the ice, meant a lot to both me and my brother."

10. What would it mean to represent Sweden in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey?

"It would mean a lot, absolutely. I had a chance to play in a few Olympic Games and win the Olympics with Sweden in 2006 and that was really special. But the Olympics are different because hockey is one among many sports. The World Cup is a tournament where hockey is the only sport being played at that time so there's going to be a lot of attention. On top of that, all the best players will be there too so that'll be a lot of fun."

11. There's a good chance you will set the record for most goals in Canucks history without your injured brother, Henrik, in the lineup. Is that disappointing?

"No way. And I think Henrik would say the same thing. I think he'd be happy to see me do it at any time and so would I when it finally happens. But my main goal is to win games and if I have to score a goal, so be it. If I have to make a pass, that's fine with me too."

12. What has been the best part about having your brother, Henrik, play with you in Vancouver all these years?

"I think it was important early on when we were struggling for a few years. I think it was important to have someone to talk to and just be with. He went through the same things as me and we talked every day about what we could do to get better and I think at that time, it was important. Obviously when we had more success, and I was able to play with him, we both helped each other to get better. It's been great and we're both so fortunate."