Connor seeing some familiar faces at first All-Star weekend

LAS VEGAS - Kyle Connor is getting his first taste of the National Hockey League's All-Star Weekend, but two of his long-time friends have seen him as an All-Star for a while now.
The oldest of the trio - Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings - is attending his second NHL All-Star Game, while Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets - the youngest at 24 - is also attending his first.
Not bad for three Michigan products who have known each other since they were 10-years-old.
"It's fun seeing them around here," said the 25-year-old Connor on Media Day. "Everyone is so busy with their seasons to catch up during the year. It's good to get some time, catch up, see how everyone is doing. We see each other so much in the summer as well."
The trio train together in the off-season, and from what Werenski sees in those sessions, it was only a matter of time before Connor earned an All-Star nod.

"Seeing him in the summer, how he trains and how he approaches it, we're just doing normal shooting drills and if he doesn't score, he's pissed," said Werenski. "He holds himself to a high standard. It brings out the best in other players as well. I like training with him. Obviously, the success he's having, he's earned and he's worked hard for it."
Werenski and Larkin were teammates of Connor back when the trio suited up for Belle Tire's U13 AAA team in Taylor, Michigan.

They moved up the ranks together, with Larkin and Connor winning gold at the U18s in the 2013-14 season. Werenski and Connor were teammates during the 2015-16 campaign at the University of Michigan (Larkin had played there the year before) when Connor finished as a Hobey Baker Finalist.
"He's got an elite release on his shot and just finds ways to score. You see his speed, his hands, and his playmaking ability," said Larkin. "He's a superstar in this league and every time I turn on NHL Network or something, I see another goal."
Seeing those highlights is fun for Larkin and Werenski - as long as their team isn't on the other side of it.
One of Connor's 25 goals (and one of his 13 multi-point games) this season came during his homecoming to Detroit on January 13 against Larkin's Red Wings.
Connor had a team-leading seven shots on goal in that 3-0 Jets win. He played 21:29 that night, but it was the 4:14 on the penalty kill that stood out to Larkin.
"I was really impressed, when we recently played them, and he's out there penalty killing and doing the little things to win. He's really evolved and continued to get better," said Larkin. "Kyle and Andrew Copp were penalty killing together. They created a lot of offence. They look to go, they look to make plays."
From a defenceman's perspective, Werenski - who is fifth in the NHL in average ice time at 26:04 - has to go up against Connor when the Blue Jackets play the Jets.
They do a lot of one-on-ones in the summer, but when two valuable points are on the line in the standings, Connor takes it up a notch.
"His straight-line speed is fast, but he can go change of direction on you extremely fast," said Werenski. "I think when you can change directions on defencemen, it's one of the hardest things for us to read. He's really good at it. It's no surprise he creates time and space for himself."
Connor hopes to use that speed when he participates in the Fastest Skater event at Friday's Skills Competition at T-Mobile Arena. Until then, he's enjoying the weekend with the family and friends he has in town - his mom, his sister, his girlfriend, his stepdad, and stepbrother.
He has a few more family and friends coming in for the All-Star Game on Saturday as well.
It's awesome to have that support in the stands as he goes through this experience for the first time, but to have the support of Larkin and Werenski - outside of a little friendly competition, perhaps - means a lot to Connor as well.
"Coming from where we grew up, playing with each other, winning a national championship growing up with each other and now all of us all-stars," Connor said. "It's pretty cool to see."