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NHL ALL-STAR GAME

January 28, 2017

Los Angeles, California

CUBA GOODING JR.: Happy to be traded to Toronto in my first round. I think my first intention was to show my mama that it's colorful in Toronto.

Q. Just your impressions -- I know you've been on the ice with NHL players before, but Connor McDavid is kind of a next-generation guy that's come along. What did you see of him out there?
CUBA GOODING JR.: Well, first of all I was shocked. I've played in these games before, and you play with guys that are a level below and then you play with guys that haven't played in the NHL in a few years. And you always see a guy that stands out. But when Patrick Kane walked in the locker room Connor walked in and they started taking their jackets off, I was like, I'm in trouble. What the hell am I doing here?
It was an honor. It was an honor to be on the ice. The kid, like you said, he's the next generation. He has such poise. I know there's a lot of players we say that about, that he really seems to have that angel quality about him. Just something about his focus.
I mean, the fact that -- I'm pretty sure that he at the last minute said I want to skate in this game, I mean, that's cool. That's just really cool, and I think that's something that really attracted me to the athletes that are in the NHL, they're just such humble people, and you have knuckleheads in every discipline of sports, but the majority of guys that I've ever met in the NHL who play or have played really carry themselves with such class and dignity. It's the reason why I whenever I hear of any charity that is using the sport of hockey to promote its cause, I humbly throw whatever celebrity I have in the mix because I know it's going to be a good time and I'm going to be surrounded by a lot of good people.

Q. Talk about your outfit a little bit. Looked like you were the most colorful player out there with the blue going on.
CUBA GOODING JR.: Well, what they do in these charity events, everybody comes with their own gear, so they give you these black coveralls to put over your pants so that you see just the uniform color, but underneath these, I have my regular pants, know what I'm saying? These are my Wayne Gretzky pants given to me by him during his tournament in Vegas that I skated with a couple months back. So I figured I'd be with him today, so I'd wear these in his honor.

Q. Looked like Justin Bieber was really pushing for that goal out there.
CUBA GOODING JR.: Yeah, 25 shots later. Thank God he made it. He might have killed himself. Yeah, I was shocked at how good the kid can play. He really has nice skills, and he's a really sweet kid, too.

Q. And one other question: How are you treating those blades, and do you get them sharpened much?
CUBA GOODING JR.: I do. I just got them sharpened. That's why I crawled across the concrete. I didn't want to blow an edge. I've got a game tomorrow.

Q. You talk about you've played in a lot of these. What's the best tip you've gotten from an NHL legend when you've been in one of these games?
CUBA GOODING JR.: Go to the net. Joe Sakic and I played, and I think Adam Foote was playing forward with us for some reason in Aspen, and he said, listen, go to the net, I know what I'm doing, and I did, and I scored like three goals that game.

Q. I know you were there when the Penguins won the Stanley Cup. Can you tell me about that experience and celebrating with them?
CUBA GOODING JR.: I've snuck into four locker rooms and done that. I have. I did it when the Hurricanes won and they were spraying beer and I was singing and chanting "We Are the Champions" like I'm part of the squad. I'm sure that's for -- and "The Great One" is here, all right.
WAYNE GRETZKY: I wanted to tell you we're sending you to the minors for two weeks.

Q. Wayne, I just would love to know your feelings about this entire experience the last 24 hours and what it was like last night with the top 100.
WAYNE GRETZKY: Oh, listen. It's pretty tough to really just sum it up quickly because it's been incredible 48 hours. We're all privileged and so happy to be part of the top 100. We all had a wonderful time chatting and talking to each other and telling stories, and then today being part of the game that raised a lot of money today for charity, I think it was fun. People loved watching these guys play and compete, and Connor jumping in and Patrick Kane jumping in gave us a little bit more credibility, and it turned out to be a wonderful afternoon. I think everybody really had a good time, and we're having a tremendous time.

Q. Wayne, you're going to step in for John Tortorella coaching the game; how did that come about, and I imagine you didn't have to think too long about it?
WAYNE GRETZKY: Last night the Commissioner asked me -- John had an issue and couldn't get here, and sort of last minute, last notice, and he asked me if I wanted to -- what I thought about jumping in, and told my Crosby and Ovechkin were on that team, and I said, well, that's a pretty easy decision. I'm in.
No, I'm really excited about it. You know, I feel bad for John because he's had an outstanding year and he deserves to be here, and unfortunately he can't. But listen, I'm privileged and proud of the fact they asked me to do it, and I'm really excited about it. It's going to be fun.

Q. I would love to ask you about when you first came to Los Angeles to now and to see what's going on here and of course you're a huge part of that, but just the overall impression of what's happening outside and how the town has taken to it.
WAYNE GRETZKY: Listen, everybody had a role in it, from Luc to Kelly Hrudey to Marty McSorley. We had a good group of guys that were part of that team, and people like Cuba and Jerry Bruckheimer and guys like that started playing hockey and competing, it really started to put us more on the map, and people now in LA say, I want to grow up and play ice hockey or I want to play high school ice hockey. It's really come a long way, and really everybody deserves credit for being a part of it, not just Wayne Gretzky. Is it exciting to be here? It really, truly is. I've really enjoyed the last two days, and I'm so happy and proud of the fact I played in the National Hockey League, and I feel honored to be here.

Q. Talk about Cuba Gooding, Jr.'s, game-winning goal. Can you give Cuba an honest assessment of his game?
WAYNE GRETZKY: What happens in the locker room stays in the locker room. You know what, listen, there's a lot of great players that weren't great skaters who could score goals, and he just got a big goal. Go to the net.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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