All-Star weekend came with a number of laughs and good times as players got to interact and play with guys they don’t normally get to. While the best-of-the-best showcase is fairly lighthearted and doesn’t necessarily the league’s best, it always promises for an entertaining weekend nonetheless.
For the Toronto Maple Leafs lone representative, Auston Matthews, it was also an opportunity to do a little recruiting for his team. With the Leafs seeming to be just a few pieces away from Stanley Cup contention, Matthews aimed to start a dialogue with one of the Leafs’ biggest needs – a top pairing defenceman.
Matthews targeted two-time Stanley Cup winner and elite Los Angeles Kings defenceman Drew Doughty.
There has been talks that Doughty, a London, Ontario native, may end up in the Leafs’ blue and white at some point, although those ideas have also been put in doubt whenever Doughty speaks about the possibility.
Matthews decided to take a stab at it anyway, but as reported by Kevin McGran, he seems to have stuck out just as bad with the blueliner.
The following is an excerpt from the Toronto Star:
“I recruited him a little bit. He didn’t bite,” said Matthews. “I said: ‘Hey, how’s it going?’ He said: ‘Good.’ I said, ‘Are you coming to Toronto?’ He just laughed and skated away.”
Swing and a miss. The All-Star weekend is all about joking around with each other, so no serious recruitment would actually be expected.
And hey, in Matthews’ defence, he didn’t say no either. There’s also this:
(H/T Kevin McGran)
