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Flyers goalie Roman Cechmanek fielded questions through an interpreter. But he got a big laugh when he both ackowledged an understanding and then answered his final interview question. "Are you surprised to be here?" someone asked directly to the intepreter. "Yeah," Cechmanek said. Who says he doesn't know English?
In terms of speaking English, Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov speaks it extremely well for a guy who didn't know the laguage at all just a few years ago. When asked how people should pronounce his name, he said with a laugh: "NabOkov or NabokOv, whatever. Just say it ... a lot."
Sergei Samsonov and Milan Hejduk had to change some last-minute plans due to their eleventh-hour naming to the All-Star Game roster. "I was going to Aspen to relax. But I was happy to cancel that," Hejduk joked. Samsonov was called into GM Mike O'Connell's office after the Montreal game Thursday, and O'Connell asked him if he wanted to go to Denver. "I said, 'sure,'" deadpanned Samsonov.
Luc Robitaille has regained his scoring touch in Los Angeles, scoring 25 goals this season and 75 the previous two seasons after tallying just 16 in 1997-98. On that subject, he said, "The goalies are better, so you have to shoot more. I learned that one a few years ago."
Sean Burke got into details when discussing why he's improved so much the past two seasons in Phoenix. He credits an adjustment made to square to the shooter more. "I noticed that guys like Ed Belfour would get hit in the chest a lot. Did guys just make better shots against me?" he joked. "Now, I get hit in the chest a lot more. It hurts, but it's a whole lot better this way."
Nicklas Lidstrom thinks Scotty Bowman will return to the Red Wings bench next season. "He loves the game too much," he said. "I want him to come back, too." Does that mean Lidstrom and Bowman have a good relationship? "We don't talk ... a whole lot," Lidstrom said with a smile. "But he puts me out on the ice a lot."
Next year's Olympics continued to be a hot topic, especially for Canadian journalists. Brett Hull made perhaps the most relevant comment when he commented on the Nagano Games from 1998: "I think Canada and the U.S. got so caught up with each other that they forgot how good everyone else was."
Dumbest question of the day: "Why didn't you shave for the team picture," someone asked Peter Forsberg. "I don't really care about the team picture," he replied. "I care about the game." Next question?
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DENVER -- Mario this. Mario that. It's not the NHL All-Star Game; it's "Mario and Friends on Ice." And one thing Mario Lemieux's presence in Denver this weekend does is overshadow what would have been a big story: Ray Bourque's Renaissance in Colorado.
Last year, at the All-Star Game in Toronto, all the talk was how this would be Bourque's final season -- and final All-Star Game. He wasn't playing well, and the Bruins were on a collision course with April tee times. He answered all the questions as he always does -- with a sense of humility and an honest doubt as to what was going to happen.
Ultimately, he did the unthinkable and asked to be traded away from Boston, a team he played two decades with and a team that still misses his presence. Now, he's playing well on the best team in the NHL; and he's all smiles as the All-Star game is in his new hometown.
"Well, I'm in a great situation," said Bourque. "Last year, I was in a situation where we were struggling and probably weren't going to make the playoffs. I really didn't know beyond that year whether I was going to play the following year because of my contract situation and a lot of (other) things. I had to make a decision, and I made one.
"I decided to ask for a trade, and I came here to Denver, and I think it's worked out fantastic. I'm with a team that's competing and should have a very good chance to get somewhere in the playoffs, and that's a pretty exciting place to be."
Sure, people are in awe of what Lemieux has done with his comeback -- as they should be -- but just as many view Bourque in a similar light. This will be Bourque's 19th consecutive All-Star appearance. He made his first appearance right around the time of fellow All-Star Simon Gagne's first birthday. Rob Blake was a pee wee.
"He's amazing," said Blake, who points to his time playing with Bourque in the Olympics as a huge learning experience. "I picked up the All-Star program yesterday and saw the number of consecutive games he's been in. It's amazing what he's done."
And that's just his statistical impact. First-time All-Star Jason Allison is learning that Bourque also was an amazing leader, even if people didn't always ackowledge it. Allison has taken over for Bourque as the Bruins captain, and has had his share of struggles with the responsibility. One of his goals this weekend is to corner Bourque for a little Q&A.
"I'm looking forward to sitting down and chatting with him a little and catching up and talk to him about leadership roles," Allison said. "He was always a guy who gave everyone a lot of guidance."
His dual value makes him such a good fit for the talent-laden Avs roster. He sets an example for the young guys, and takes leadership pressure off guys like Peter Forsberg and Joe Sakic. But of course, the question remains whether Bourque might retire at season's end. He is on a one-year deal, and supposedly the option for another season is a mutual one. However, it's clear that it's entirely up to Bourque.
So, will this be his last All-Star Game?
"I've been saying this may be my last one for a while," said Bourque referring to other years he's stated doubt about returning. "I'll have plenty of time to rest when I'm done playing the game. As long as I get to come to these things, I'm going to enjoy them and take them the right way. It's an honor and privilege to be here, and it always will be. I always have a good time playing these games."
The fans have a great time watching him -- the number of No. 77 Avs jerseys in the stands is startling -- so the consensus is he should do it again next year, even if it means another year of him being asked if it will be his last.
Bye, Bye Blake?
Kings defenseman Rob Blake says his time in L.A. is coming to an end.
"If a deal was going to get done, it would have been done by now," he said.
Blake is due to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and since both sides can't agree on a new deal, he's likely to be traded before the March deadline.
"They said they're not going to move on their offer, and that's understandable that a team in their position doesn't want to increase the payroll," Blake said diplomatically.
As much as Blake says it doesn't affect his play or his impact on the team, friend and teammate Zigmund Palffy disagrees.
"It's a problem," he said. "I can feel it a little bit -- when a good friend and player could be traded."
Brian A. Shactman covers the NHL for ESPN.com. He can be reached at brian.shactman@espn.com.
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AUDIO VIDEO
 Mario Lemieux takes a pass from Scott Stevens and stuffs the puck into the back of the net.
avi: 1205 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Ray Bourque and Martin Brodeur stop the offensive pressure from the World All-Stars.
avi: 807 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Luc Robitaille beats a diving Roman Cechmanek for the goal.
avi: 2289 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Luc Robitaille fires a shot past the glove of Dominik Hasek.
avi: 1031 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Paul Kariya sets up Joe Sakic and fires a shot over the shoulder of Roman Cechmanek.
avi: 1752 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Roman Cechmanek robs Joe Sakic of a goal with a spectacular glove save.
avi: 1591 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Peter Forsberg scores off the sweet past from Sergei Samsonov.
avi: 899 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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