What a weekend for Zach Werenski.
He hops off the team plane at close to 5 a.m. ET on Friday morning, is told he's headed to the All-Star Game in Tampa, and everything changes.
With his family alongside, Werenski admirably filled in for teammate and defense partner Seth Jones, who fell ill and couldn't make it – but let's not be mistaken: Werenski is every bit a worthy All-Star as one of the NHL's bright young stars on defense.
The Metropolitan Division team didn't fare well in the 3-on-3 competition, bowing out in the semifinal to the Atlantic Division, but that put little damper on Werenski's weekend.
Not only was he hanging out with several players he grew up idolizing, but a few of his former teammates from the United States National Team Development Program were on-hand, as well.
Auston Matthews of Toronto, Jack Eichel of Buffalo, and Noah Hanifin of Carolina (his roommate at the USNTDP) were all named to All-Star teams in the East.
And for those players he didn't know previously, Werenski quickly found them to be a welcoming group.
"You’re not too sure what guys are like off the ice, so it’s kind of just feeling them out and getting to meet them," Werenski said. "Everyone here has been great to me. They’re all great guys. It’s been a blast.
"Most of the guys I met for the first time. These are guys I looked up to when I was younger, guys who were my favorite players. It was fun to be around them for a weekend."
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