Auston Matthews may have had ulterior motives during the weekend's All-Star festivities.
This season the discussion about what Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty will do following next season - when he becomes an unrestricted free-agent - has run rapid throughout the league.
With no clear-cut decision yet, the Toronto Maple Leafs forward admitted he at least attempted to try and sell the reigning Norris Trophy-winner on the potential to play alongside him in Toronto.
"I recruited him a little bit. He didn't bite," Matthews said, according to Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star. "I said: 'Hey, how's it going?' He said: 'Good.' I said, 'Are you coming to Toronto?' He just laughed and skated away."
With Doughty not budging for now, Matthews might have to turn his attention to Erik Karlsson.
If there was any doubt that Brock Boeser is already a bona fide NHL superstar, his performances throughout All-Star weekend showed he truly deserves to be mentioned among the game's best and brightest.
The 20-year-old rookie left an indelible mark on the All-Star festivities in Tampa Bay all weekend, first by winning the Accuracy Shooting event in the Skills Competition on Saturday night, and then by earning tournament MVP honors with two memorable games in the All-Star tournament on Sunday.
Boeser has already put himself on the map in NHL circles a little over halfway into his first full season, leading all rookies with 24 goals and ranking second in the class with 43 points in 46 contests.
His unofficial first half went so well that he also finds himself in the top 10 in goal-scoring league-wide, tied for seventh with Colorado Avalanche sniper Nathan MacKinnon and sitting only six goals behind league leader Alex Ovechkin in three fewer games.
Still, Boeser, the Vancouver Canucks' first-round pick in 2015, came to Tampa Bay as the youngest Pacific Division All-Star in 2018, and as the only rookie playing in Sunday's 3-on-3 divisional tournament. And yet, he did more than just fit in. He excelled.
As if that wasn't enough, Boeser shone again on Sunday. He went top corner for a beautiful goal - for what would hold up as the game-winner - in the Pacific Division's semifinal win over the Central Division, then chipped in a goal and an assist to help the Pacific cruise past the Atlantic 5-2 in in the championship round.
Boeser was named tournament MVP in a fan vote, becoming only the second rookie - and first since Mario Lemieux in 1985 - to capture the award in the All-Star Game history.
While there certainly were other deserving candidates for that honor Sunday, Boeser's popularity among viewers was unquestionably warranted.
It's not just that he carried over his regular-season success in an exhibition tournament and a skills showcase, it's that he did it on one of the NHL's biggest stages and among the best of his peers.
Boeser made a major statement with his All-Star performances, and if he wasn't quite a household name beforehand, there's no doubt he is now.
With the Detroit Red Wings currently sitting outside a playoff spot and Green a pending unrestricted free agent, the 32-year-old has the potential to be traded ahead of the Feb. 26 deadline.
The Capitals currently sit in the top spot in the Metropolitan Division and might look for an upgrade to their back end, but would need to shed some salary in any potential deal for Green.
Of course, in the event of a trade, Green would be joining a club he is quite familiar with. He spent the first 10 years of his career with the Capitals and sits third among franchise defensemen with 113 goals and fifth with 360 points in 575 games.
Another NHL All-Star three-on-three tournament is in the books.
The Pacific Division reigned supreme with wins over the Central and Atlantic on the back of Brock Boeser's MVP performance. Sunday's tournament was full of amazing goals and some downright hilarious moments - everything one could want from an All-Star event.
Here are the top 10 moments from a fun-filled afternoon:
What would an All-Star Game be without a coach's challenge?
After Erik Karlsson looked to have picked up his first goal of the tournament against the Metropolitan, video review revealed that teammate Nikita Kucherov was actually offside.
The goal was called off, and the NHL's most dramatic referee was on hand to deliver the news.
Brad Marchand received all the boos from fans this weekend ... and he loved it.
After hearing them during his introduction to the skills competition and to the tournament itself, the Boston Bruins forward scored in his club's semifinal game, giving him the chance to show his appreciation to the fans.
In a touching ceremony during the semifinal between the Atlantic and Metropolitan, former Boston Bruin Willie O'Ree - the NHL's first black player - was honored on the ice.
O'Ree posed for a picture with both teams while receiving an honorary jersey and then shook hands with each player.
What would the All-Star Game be without some P.K. Subban shenanigans.
After the Nashville Predators defender scored on a rare breakaway, he began to celebrate emphatically - as he does - this time with his teammates on the bench.
Kucherov's hat trick goal was impressive overall, but his second of the game was just incredible.
He and Eichel pulled off two behind-the-back passes on one of the prettiest give-and-gos you'll ever see. You couldn't help but feel sorry for Holtby on this one.
With the Atlantic desperate to score late in the final game, the goalie was pulled. That gave Mike Smith a chance at scoring from the other end of the rink. Unfortunately, his shot went just wide.
Johnny Gaudreau is usually busy undressing opposing defensemen, but he nearly undressed himself on Sunday.
The Calgary Flames forward had a thread from his equipment unravel as he skated in on a breakaway. Fortunately for Gaudreau, he still managed to snap the puck through Carey Price's five-hole.
Boeser recorded the game-winning goal for the Pacific Division in the semifinal round, and followed it up with a goal and an assist in a final victory over the Atlantic Division.
The 20-year-old was given a 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid, and a successful weekend triggers a few bonuses in his contract.
How was your weekend? Brock Boeser takes home almost $550,000 - and a car for #NHLAllStar MVP. $212,500 bonus making team $212,500 bonus MVP $91,000 winning team split $25,000 shooting accuracy win
Rickard Rakell scored twice and added an assist as the Pacific Division defeated the Atlantic Division 5-2 to win the championship game at the NHL All-Star tournament in Tampa Bay on Sunday night.
The Anaheim Ducks forward opened the scoring just before the one-minute mark of the first stanza, assisted on Drew Doughty's goal that held up as the game-winner later in the frame, then tallied again with less than three minutes left to put the game out of reach.
Brock Boeser chipped in a goal and an assist and was later named MVP of the tournament. Doughty and Johnny Gaudreau also picked up a goal and an assist apiece in the final, while Anze Kopitar had a couple of helpers.
Mike Green provided all of the offense for the Atlantic Division in the championship round, scoring twice in a losing effort.
As if offside reviews aren't stirring enough controversy, the much-debated challenge process reared its head at the NHL All-Star tournament Sunday.
Erik Karlsson thought he scored the go-ahead goal for the Atlantic Division in the second semifinal against the Metropolitan Division, but Barry Trotz challenged the play in the hope that Nikita Kucherov would be deemed offside.
Kucherov was coming off on a change as Karlsson entered the offensive zone.
Kucherov got the last laugh, though, notching a hat trick to lead the Atlantic Division to a 7-4 victory and ensuring it a spot in Sunday's All-Star final against the Pacific Division.
The hometown fans got a show as Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov scored a hat trick to lead the Atlantic All-Stars to a 7-4 win over the Metropolitan Division to set up a spot in the final against the Pacific Division.
After Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin combined for four points in the first period, giving the Metropolitan Division a 3-2 lead, the Atlantic Division came alive in the second.
The club outscored the Metropolitan 5-1 in the final period on the back of two of Kucherov's three goals. Jack Eichel and Erik Karlsson also collected a trio of points in a game that saw every member of the Atlantic squad tally at least one point.
The Atlantic will now take on the Pacific All-Stars in a battle for the $1-million prize.
Both Marc-Andre Fleury and Mike Smith stopped seven of eight shots against for the Pacific. Pekka Rinne made four saves on four shots for the Central, but Connor Hellebuyck allowed three goals on eight shots in the losing effort.
The Pacific await the winner of the second semifinal between the Atlantic and Metropolitan divisions.