MVP Simmonds: Gretzky's challenge 'was the game changer'

Wayne Simmonds knows he has "The Great One" to thank for his new truck.

The Philadelphia Flyers forward was named All-Star Game MVP after the Metropolitan Division took down the Pacific in the 3-on-3 tournament final, and after the game praised his fill-in head coach, Wayne Gretzky, who knows a thing or two about hockey.

With the Metro trailing 3-2, Gretzky used a coach's challenge after the Pacific had scored in the second half to go up 4-2. It worked, Connor McDavid ruled offside, setting the stage for a Metro comeback.

"Helped us win, right?" Simmonds said after the game. "That was the play. That was the game changer. That was the decision. Obviously (Gretzky's) got a great hockey mind. He pulls that card, it's offside, and come back, we score two goals and we win the game, so obviously it was a great decision."

Not only is Simmonds going home with a truck, he's also going back to Philly with a lucky dollar bill, which was taped to his nameplate at his locker.

"I don't even know who did that to be honest with you," the 28-year-old from just north of Toronto said. "I'm still trying to figure it out. It says 'enjoy the money' on it. I have no clue who it was. But I'll take it. That will be my lucky dollar bill now. I'll throw that in my pocket."

On a more serious note, Simmonds also talked about diversity in hockey, after four black players represented their teams at the All-Star Game.

"It was unbelievable," he said. "I think if you look around the game now, you're starting to see different ethnicities, not only black, but it's starting to open up a little bit, and that's the goal here. We're trying to spread the game. Hockey is for everybody, so it's a great sport. I'm just trying to be a good ambassador and stuff like that, so it's great."