ST. LOUIS -- Kris Letang's son Alex stole the show during Letang's media availability before the 2020 NHL All-Star Game skills competition.
Letang sat down at his podium on Friday after walking the red carpet, and pulled Alex up onto his lap. Alex announced that he was "excited to see the hockey players, and my dad" at the All-Star weekend, then just took over:
Alex said he is "already playing hockey, but not in the NHL but still playing hockey." He said he wants to play in the NHL one day, and play defense for the Penguins.
"I'll take my dad's place," he said. "If my dad is still playing, I'm taking somebody else's place. If not I'm taking my dad's place. My dad will do the password and I'll just get in. He already did it, so I'd have the same password."
Alex was asked what number he would wear in the NHL.
"I would wear 58 if my dad's not playing," he said. "If Crosby stops playing I'll be the number of Crosby."
Letang laughed, "He knows he's better than me already!" and asked Alex if he wants to wear 87 more than he wants to wear 58.
"I want more to be 58 but if my dad is still playing I'll be 87," Alex explained.
Alex then whispered to his dad in French that he was allowed to talk now, and Letang was asked what his feelings were being at the All-Star Game.
"It's great," Letang said. "Honestly, we came last year as a whole family. This year we made the trip me and Alex and it's already interesting."
Alex jumped back in.
"Because my mom didn't want to come to the All-Star Game with the baby sister," Alex explained. "The baby sister would scream, and I really wanted (to go). So my mom solved it to go when I'm on the airplane with my dad on the airplane of the Pittsburgh Penguins."
Letang was then asked how cool it was to be a captain at the All-Star Game for the first time.
"Uhh," Alex began.
"You're back?" Letang laughed. "You're back!"
"I was happy that my dad was called captain," Alex went on. "So, I decided to go to the All-Star game to see our captain. I wanted to see everything about them, the captains, what they do. I really know my dad was called captain because I heared about it. I really wanted to see my dad play."
Alex then further explained why he decided to attend the game:
"I'm really excited to see the hockey players from Florida, Sharks, Nashville, and the Pittsburgh Penguins, because those are my favorite teams. Kings, that will make me happy. Those are the teams I really like. I love it so much that I wanted to see them for the All-Stars."
"He's going to talk until tomorrow," Letang said.
"I like how there's a lot of teams and the Pittsburgh Penguins," Alex continued.
Alex concluded the availability by giving a shoutout to those watching at home.
"I just wanted to say hi to my friends, they see me on TV," he said. "It's the first time. Hi guys."
