Atlanta - - Two players could send the All-Star game into the stratosphere and their names are Evgeni Malkin who wears the Penguins sweater and Alexander Ovechkin who plays in the nation’s capital.

Alex Ovechkin is a quick witted, honest, superstar who has a zest for life, and why not, he was the recipient of the richest contract in NHL history. He is now one of the most important players in the game and he was asked a variety of important questions like.

What do you think about the NHL opening up in Europe again next season?

“I think it’s good and it’s fun for them to know the NHL.”

Then he was asked, would you try and make the goalies look bad in this game?

“Maybe,” he said with a grin.

What about the possibility of playing with the “Russian Five”, that consists of Ilya Kovalchuk, Sergei Gonchar, Andrei Markov, Malkin and himself.

“I think an all Russian line would be cool.”

Then the most important question of the entire weekend was posed to him. Where did you get those shoes?

“Moscow,” he said with confidence. And then he added, “A little bit of fashion” and we both nodded and paid homage to his very polished very long and pointy shoes. They were one-of-a kind for sure.

The Penguins standout is technically filling in for Sidney Crosby had to answer some absurd questions from a clueless reporter and then that reporter tried to blame another reporter who was acting as an interpreter to help out her fellow journalists. Here is how it went.

Absurd reporter: Are you going to wish Crosby not come back for a while? A long and complete recovery?

After the information was relayed to the star forward he replied, “The quicker the better because we need him up front.”

And that’s what any smart hockey player would say. He is a team player and he knows that he got here because of his talent and because he gets power play time with Crosby.

Then he talked about how honored he felt even being considered for this game.

“I am very proud to be invited here whether it is the first time or second time.”

Mike Ribeiro was making his All-Star debut and he realizes that a few years ago he was in Montreal and he wasn’t an All-Star and now he was on a talent-rich team and yet he was their lone representative.

“I think that’s the fun part just to be around those guys, on the same team,” he said honestly. “Looking at them, practicing with them today, seeing what they do and what they don’t do. Yeah big changes. I was imagining it but not to be here.”

Los Angeles Kings forward Anze Kopitar made the transition from Young Star to All-Star pretty seamlessly and he isn’t taking it for granted.

“Yes it is. It was fun last year. Definitely. I got the chance to see how everything is going around here. Being in the big game. It’s really fun.”

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Scott Nidermayer has played an abbreviated season so far and he had an interesting perspective about the mid-season break and the game.

“I don’t know if I needed a break. It will be fun to get out on the ice with some of the young guys for sure.”