LAS VEGAS — The home bench inside T-Mobile Arena on Friday night was a smorgasbord of some of the NHL's best players.
San Jose's Timo Meier sat between Edmonton's Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, while Central Division rivals Jordan Kyrou (St. Louis), Nazem Kadri (Colorado) and Roman Josi (Nashville) were huddled together.
And then there were 5-year-old twins Sloane and Landon, their heads barely peeking above the dasher boards.
"I was just kind of watching them the whole time," their dad and Wild goaltender Cam Talbot said. "I think I missed half the events because I was just looking back and forth to see how they were doing. It's just so much fun to share with them."
By taking the ice in Las Vegas this weekend, Talbot became just the sixth goalie in NHL history to appear in the All-Star Game for the first time at age 34 or older.
That this recognition is coming now when he's a veteran is indicative of Talbot's commitment to his craft and the success he's had since assuming the mantle as the Wild's No. 1 netminder.
"I never thought it would happen at this point in my career," Talbot said of the All-Star nod. "It's humbling, but I feel like it's a testament to my dedication [and] my perseverance. I think that's how I got here. That's how I still approach every single day. It's always an honor to be in the NHL, and I don't take a day for granted."
After posting his first shutout of the season, a 30-save showing in a 5-0 rout of the Blackhawks on Wednesday, Talbot flew back to Minneapolis and then was on another plane just a few hours later to Las Vegas — staying awake for a total of approximately 40 hours.