The 2016 Honda NHL All-Star Game in Nashville on Jan. 31 is less than a week 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, Nicklas Backstrom of the Washington Capitals discusses playing in his first All-Star Game.

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

I'm excited. I haven’t been to one of those before. It’s going to be fun. I’m bringing my family, so it’s going to be fun.

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

The only ones I watched was when I was a kid, when Sweden had players like [Peter] Forsberg, [Mats] Sundin, [Nicklas] Lidstrom, all those guys were in it.

Offense came to the fore in the NHL during the 1970s.

In a decade that saw the League add two teams each in 1970, 1972 and 1974, scoring took center stage. Average goals per game went from slightly less than six at the start of the decade to seven by 1979. Seasons in which top players reached 50 goals and/or 100 points no longer were uncommon.

It was a decade that saw Phil Esposito of the Boston Bruins shatter the single-season marks for goals and points by scoring 76 times and finishing with 152 points in 1970-71. Four years later Esposito's teammate, Bobby Orr, led the NHL in scoring for the second time with 135 points.

Orr perhaps is the most revolutionary player ever in the NHL. Before his arrival defensemen weren't expected to be major offensive contributors. But by the 1970s every team felt it had to have at least one puck-rushing defenseman in order to keep up with the way the game was being played.

"What Bobby did was make coaches think we don't have to stick a guy who can't skate back there and instead say, 'Let's put a guy who can skate and get him on the ice more,'" Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman Brian Leetch told NHL.com in 2013.

With so much offense on display, a 3-on-3 All-Star format at some point during the 1970s would have been a sight to see. Here is NHL.com's attempt at establishing an All-Time 3-on-3 Team of the 1970s.

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, Ryan O'Reilly discusses representing the Buffalo Sabres in the All-Star Game.

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

It's an absolute honor. I obviously want to thank the fans for voting for me. But growing up watching the All-Star Game and seeing the names that were in that and guys I idolized, so for me to be considered as one of those guys, it's a true honor. You always dream of it. But to actually have it come true and be considered one of the top players, it's like a dream come true.

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

There's so many things. Really as a kid, watching the skills competition was always cool to see the fastest skater and the target shooting and just watching [Wayne] Gretzky, [Mario] Lemieux, and then watching [Pavel] Bure, [Mike] Modano, [Joe] Sakic, [Peter] Forsberg; you bring in all these guys to do their skill stuff, just to see all that talent on one ice [rink] is pretty amazing to see.

The 2016 Honda NHL All-Star Game in Nashville on Jan. 31 is less than a week 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, Johnny Gaudreau discusses representing the Calgary Flames for the second time in the All-Star Game.

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

It's a special experience. Last year I got to participate in it, and being a younger guy and seeing some of the names that you get to participate with, it's pretty special and something you remember for the rest of your life.

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

I watched a lot of All-Star Games. My favorite memory was probably being a part of it last year and having the chance to do the shootout with Jakub Voracek. It was a real funny and a pretty special memory.

NEW YORK – NHL fans and country music stars Dierks Bentley, Vince Gill, Charles Kelley and Chris Young will serve as celebrity coaches for the 2016 Honda NHL® All-Star Game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Sunday, Jan. 31, the National Hockey League announced today. The 2016 Honda NHL® All-Star Game will broadcast live at 5 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. CT on NBCSN, CBC and TVA Sports.

Bentley, Gill, Kelley and Young will join NHL head coaches Gerard Gallant of the Florida Panthers, Lindy Ruff of the Dallas Stars, Darryl Sutter of the Los Angeles Kings and Barry Trotz of the Washington Capitals behind the bench.

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, Shea Weber of the Nashville Predators discusses playing in his fifth All-Star Game.

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

Obviously it's a huge honor. But I think mostly it's a reflection of your teammates and how well your team is doing. It's a credit to them. Without them we wouldn't be able to attend it or be in this situation.

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

Probably the first one that I got to go to, in 2009. Just to be involved with those players. Obviously as a kid growing up you dream of it. But once you finally get to one it's almost surreal.

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, Taylor Hall of the Edmonton Oilers discusses playing in his first All-Star Game.

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

I'm very proud of it. It's my first one going there. You set goals before the beginning of the season and being there was definitely one of them. I'm proud to be going to it.

NEW YORK – The Stanley Cup, live musical performances, appearances from current and former NHL All-Stars, the NHL Mascot Showdown featuring all 26 NHL Mascots, virtual reality showcases, and chances for prizes and giveaways are just a small sampling of the dozens of attractions, exhibits, activities and experiences awaiting fans at the 2016 NHL Fan Fair presented by Bridgestone, the official fan festival of the 2016 Honda NHL All-Star festivities, at Music City Center in Nashville, Jan. 28-31. For four days and across 250,000 square feet of Music City Center - the biggest footprint in NHL Fan Fair history – the National Hockey League and its corporate partners will celebrate hockey in Nashville and the NHL All-Star Game, past and present. A full schedule of events and performances is available at NHL.com/FanFair.

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."

NEW YORK – John Scott will captain the Pacific Division team at the 2016 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend in Nashville, the National Hockey League announced today.

Scott, elected to the Pacific Division captaincy in fan voting while a member of the Arizona Coyotes, was traded Friday to the Montreal Canadiens of the Atlantic Division. The resultant change in division, and Scott’s subsequent assignment to the American Hockey League, created a unique circumstance that required review – the result of which was a determination to maintain the status quo for the All-Star weekend in order to preserve all parties' pre-existing expectations, including Scott’s desire to participate.