Keller Relishing All-Star Weekend, ‘It’s a lot of Fun'

TORONTO, ONTARIO -- Clayton Keller is soaking it all in.

The Arizona Coyotes forward may be a four-time All-Star – which set a Coyotes team record – but he still makes a point to enjoy the little things the weekend has to offer, such as reuniting with old friends and spending some quality time with family.

He said before Thursday’s All-Star Draft that some of his most cherished memories haven’t even come on the ice, and one that particularly resonated was last year’s appearance in Florida, when his grandma made the trip to see him.

“She was able to fly out to Florida for that one, and I got to spend some good time with her,” Keller said. “That’s something that sticks out for me.”

The 26-year-old will be joined by a number of family members again this year, and he’ll also enjoy the time he spends playing alongside some of his closest friends that he trains with during the summer. That includes Arizona native and Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews, who selected Keller in Thursday’s draft.

Thursday night’s event, which also featured celebrity captains Michael Bublé, Justin Bieber, Tate McRae, and Will Arnett, was a throwback of sorts for Keller, who fondly recalled watching the previous iteration of All-Star drafts when he was younger.

“It was a different experience than years prior, and it was cool that they changed it up there,” Keller said. “Getting to be back with Auston is pretty cool.”

Matthews, alongside assistant captain (and teammate) Morgan Rielly and assistant captain Justin Bieber, selected Keller in the fourth round of the draft, 15th overall. The 26-year-old Matthews is in the midst of yet another special season with 40 goals and 18 assists in 46 games, having just reached the 600-point plateau on Jan. 27 against the Winnipeg Jets.

He did it faster than any other player in the Maple Leafs' storied history.

The 2024 All-Star game gives the two friends and superstars a chance to play on the same team, reuniting a pair that consistently trains together in the Phoenix area each summer.

“I really wanted him to be on the team,” Matthews said. “He’s slippery, he’s extremely skilled, he shoots it really well and he’s also an elite playmaker.”

Keller was just as complimentary of his counterpart.

“His shot is unbelievable, he’s such a great player,” Keller said. "He does it year after year, he’s so consistent, and he’s such a great player.”

Though he won’t be participating in the NHL All-Star Skills competition on Friday – the new format features fewer players who participate in multiple events – he did say he plans to attend and cheer on his friends, including Matthews, who will be competing for a $1 million prize.

That’s what the weekend is all about, after all, allowing the players a brief break from the grind of the NHL schedule to reunite with both family and each other.

Keller is making sure to take it all in, yet again.

“It’s great seeing some guys that I played with that I don’t normally get to see and spending some time with them,” he said. “We talk about our seasons, and we talk about life. That’s great to be here and be recognized. It’s a lot of fun.”