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NHL ALL-STAR WEEKENDJanuary 25, 2008Sam GagnerATLANTA, GEORGIA Q. An opportunity for us to really focus on the youth emerging in this game as the Young Stars have entered the building and are dealing a lot with the media right now. We appreciate Sam Gagner from the Edmonton Oilers coming by. How are you, Sam? SAM GAGNER: Great, excited to be here. Q. You're probably excited about the last 24 hours for your team. It's a great way to hit the break with that impressive come-from-behind win in the final two minutes against Florida? SAM GAGNER: Yeah, for sure. We were down two goals pretty late, and to come back like that and win a shootout, it's good for us going into the break. Q. Where does that one rank as far as the most exciting games you've been part of this year? SAM GAGNER: Probably number one for this year. You know, to be down by two goals that late and to be able to come back and win in a shootout, I think it's huge for our team going forward. Especially with, you know, how each game is so important now coming close to playoff time. Q. How do you assess the season to date? For you, I think it started with, obviously, a lot of fanfare and the expectations, no matter where you're slotted in the lineup, are going to be great for someone who is a first round pick with as much talent as we're seeing on the video. Have you felt you've been able to handle the expectations? Has it gone kind of according to script? SAM GAGNER: Yeah, it's been a good year for me. I'm really enjoying it. I think Edmonton's a great fit. The guys are treating me really well and made me feel pretty comfortable. So I'm just having fun with it, and trying to get better every day and prove that I belong at this level. You know, it's just been a lot of fun for me. Q. Has it made it easier being a guy that's been counted upon in the shootout? It's probably not a season where you're going to look back and love the numbers at the end of the year compared to what you're used to. But knowing that there is an element to the game which you excel at, to really help your team, it's got to be impressive for you? SAM GAGNER: Definitely. You want to be a guy that your teammates count on and the coaching staff counts on to help you win hockey games. And you know, so far for me it's been the shootout mostly this year where I've been able to help the team the most. You know, I take a lot of pride in that. I try and practice new things. Obviously the one moves worked for me a little more than others. But it's a lot of fun for me. Getting the chance to go one-on-one with a goalie in a showdown, it's not only exciting for the fans but for the players as well. I enjoy being part of that and trying to help the team win. Q. The Young Stars element to this All-Star weekend is now part of the skills competition, which is great. Because you guys can earn something for the conference's overall point total. It's a different game, you deal with two six-minute periods of three on three action. You score a goal, you guys retract to center ice and let the other team come out of their own zone. What's it going to be like especially playing with a former teammate in Pat Kane? SAM GAGNER: It's going to be a lot of fun. Any time you get a chance to be part of this it is pretty exciting. And you know, the way they formatted it this year with the skills competition it should be pretty fun for us. I think playing with Pat, I haven't done it since last year. And obviously he's having a great year. He's an unbelievable player. So it should be fun to see him again and get to talk with him. You know, even more fun to get a chance to be on the same ice with him. We had a lost fun doing it last year, so it should be fun again. Q. You know the breakaway challenge is a big part of the skills competition this year. The fact that it's like a slam dunk contest, and you're going to have celebrity judges assessing what these guys are doing creatively. Are you eligible to get in that or no? SAM GAGNER: I think so. I don't know if I have anything for you. Q. What do you expect to see then from these guys? SAM GAGNER: You know what, the guys are so creative that I can't even begin to think of what guys are going to come up with. You see moves even in games like the one Datsyuk did last year that I wouldn't even have thought to do anything like that. So guys are pretty creative, and I'm sure they have a few tricks up their sleeve. It should be a lot of fun for the fans to watch. I'm looking forward to it. Q. Have fun. Thanks for coming up here. Sam Gagner from the Edmonton Oilers. The first of many Young Stars that are going to join us over the next hour or so. End of FastScripts |
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