Heavy Lightning presence at NHL All-Star Media Day

As first time NHL All-Star Andrei Vasilevskiy fielded questions during Saturday's Media Day session at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay, his teammate and countryman Nikita Kucherov sat five feet to his right on the same podium.
A reporter asked Vasilevskiy what makes Kucherov such a good shooter.
"I don't know. He can't score on me in practice," Vasilevskiy deadpanned before breaking out in a smile and looking over at Kucherov, who was unaware of the tongue-in-cheek dig as he was caught up in his own session answering why Vasilevskiy is currently the NHL's best goalie.

That's the thing about 2018 NHL All-Star Weekend: Everywhere you look, there's someone from the Tampa Bay Lightning. This All-Star experience has a decidedly Tampa Bay feel, and not just because the game is being played in Tampa's AMALIE Arena.

Vasilevskiy and Kucherov spoke to the media at the same time as Brayden Point, another first time All-Star Game participant. A few moments before them, Lightning head coach Jon Cooper warmed up the crowd with a 24-minute interview session that touched on everything from what makes Tampa such a special place to play (it's owner Jeff Vinik) to whether he's ever been to a Gasparilla parade (yes, but not in a while. "It is a lot of fun, I'm not going to lie, but it can turn you into an angry pirate.")
A few minutes later, the division captains, Lightning center Steven Stamkos among them, were brought outside to a podium with a backdrop fit for a movie set with palm trees and mangroves and the water of Old Tampa Bay glistening in the sun.
Yeah, this All-Star Game has definitely become a showcase for not just the Tampa Bay Lightning but the entire Tampa Bay Area.

"Not everybody gets to see it on an everyday basis like I do," Stamkos, the Atlantic Division captain said while seated next to Metropolitan Division captain Alex Ovechkin. "To see the transformation that's taken place really in the last eight years since Mr. Vinik has taken over the team, this is a hockey town. I think this event really hasn't even started yet, and I think last night was a perfect example of the crowds and the lines of people waiting to meet the players. It's been pretty amazing to be part of that transition. I was mostly excited for everyone to see the great city that we have and to really show it off on the big stage like this."
And it's an opportunity for the Lightning, owners of the best record in the NHL at the All-Star break and with more All-Stars (six, counting Cooper and the injured Victor Hedman, who won't participate but will serve as an assistant to the equipment manager for the Atlantic Division) than any other team in the league, to shine as well.
"Anytime you can make an All-Star game in general is great, but when you're in your home city, it wasn't even just a charity case to throw more Tampa Bay guys on, we could have probably had more it's been that fun and we've been successful this season so far," Stamkos said. "And to be able to share that with those teammates is pretty special. I think all of us who are here representing the city were just as excited to show off what this city and what this community has become and how much hockey is loved here. Obviously, the weather and the climate is one thing that might not always be associated with hockey but this is truly a hockey town and guys are going to get a taste of it today at the skills competition and at the game tomorrow with how great the fans are. It's been a lot of fun so far."

And it's fun the Bolts can share in together. Having five players plus Cooper in attendance helps first year All-Stars like Vasilevskiy and Point get more comfortable in an unfamiliar situation.
"(Stamkos) told me to just have fun, just enjoy it," Point said when asked if he'd gotten any advice from some of his teammates who've been to an All-Star Game before. "I'm a little nervous to play in the game and skate with those guys."
And it's just more fun when you have your teammates, the guys you go to battle with each and every night, around to share the experience too.
"It's like a family," Cooper said. "You go somewhere, you have an unbelievable experience, none of your family's there, you don't get to share it with anybody, it makes the experience maybe not as rewarding. But when you're with your family, whatever's going to happen in the next two days, you get to share those experiences with them, it makes it pretty special. I can't speak for them but I'm sure glad I'm not the only one here representing our team."