NASHVILLE -- Being an NHL All-Star and getting the chance to be in the Music City spotlight at 19 years old is as strange as Detroit Red Wings rookie Dylan Larkin expected it to be.
"I feel more nervous than I would for an actual game," Larkin said Friday. "I don't really know many guys and I don't really know what's going on."
Larkin was a fan until this season, another teenager dreaming of one day getting his chance but never expecting it to come this soon.
He was playing for the University of Michigan last season, and participating in the IIHF World Junior Championship with the United States. Now he's an All-Star from an NHL Original Six franchise on pace for a 25-goal season before he turns 20 years old.
Larkin is third in goals (15), assists (18) and points (33) among rookies.
"Just to be here is awesome, especially as a young guy to see all these guys, how they handle themselves with the media and how they represent themselves in public," Larkin said. "It's just really cool, special to me to be a part of this. I grew up watching most of these guys."
Larkin said his task this weekend is to introduce himself to as many fellow All-Stars as he can.
"It's pretty cool just to be able to introduce myself and for them to recognize me, almost have a relationship with them," he said. "My goal is to come out of this with some friends so when we go to some different cities I can see some familiar faces and be able to say hello."
---
NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup, the Stanley Cup Playoffs logo, the Stanley Cup Final logo, Center Ice name and logo, NHL Conference logos, NHL Winter Classic name, and The Biggest Assist Happens Off The Ice are registered trademarks and Vintage Hockey word mark and logo, The Game Lives Where You Do, NHL Winter Classic logo, NHL Heritage Classic name and logo, NHL Stadium Series name and logo, NHL All-Star logo, NHL Face-Off name and logo, NHL. TV, NHL Premium, NHL After Dark, NHL GameCenter, NHL GameCenter LIVE, NHL Network name and logo, NHL Tonight name and logo, On The Fly, NHL Awards name and logo, NHL Draft name and logo, Hockey Fights Cancer, Because It's The Cup, NHL Green name and logo, NHL Vault, Hockey Is For Everyone, NHL Thanksgiving Showdown name and logo, NHL Centennial Classic name and logo, NHL Centennial Season logo, NHL100 Classic name and logo, NHL Global Series name and logo, NHL China Games name and logo, and Don't Miss A Moment are trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. © NHL 2018. All Rights Reserved. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. The Zamboni word mark and configuration of the Zamboni ice resurfacing machine are registered trademarks of Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. © Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. 2018. All Rights Reserved. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.