Ottawa All-Star Game Info

NEW YORK (September 15, 2010) – The National Hockey League (NHL®) today announced the selection of the Ottawa Senators and the city of Ottawa as hosts of the 2012 National Hockey League All-Star Celebration. The League’s mid-season showcase will take place Jan. 28-29 at Scotiabank Place.

The 2012 NHL All-Star Game will mark the first time Ottawa has hosted the NHL All-Star activities. The city has been host to other major NHL events in the past, as the Senators hosted the Stanley Cup® Final in 2007, and the NHL Entry Draft in 2005 and 2008.

“The league is extremely pleased that Ottawa and Scotiabank Place will be home to the events of All-Star weekend 2012,” said Gary Bettman, NHL commissioner. “Ottawa and the Senators have distinguished themselves in hosting the Stanley Cup Final and two NHL entry drafts, and I have no doubt they will provide an outstanding welcome for our fans, guests, media and business partners.”

“The Ottawa Senators and our hockey fans couldn’t be more excited at the opportunity to host and showcase the NHL’s top players in 2012,” said Senators owner Eugene Melnyk. “We will create a once-in-a-lifetime, weekend long celebration of all that is great about hockey, the NHL and our city.”

Further details on the 2012 NHL All-Star Celebration, including information on tickets, special events and television broadcasting will be released at a later date.

The Carolina Hurricanes and the city of Raleigh will host the 2011 National Hockey League All-Star Celebration, including the Honda NHL SuperSkills® competition and the 58th NHL All-Star Game Saturday, January 29 and Sunday, January 30.

Hockey Comes to America’s Greatest Television Comedy

I’m sure anyone with any enjoyment of life loves It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, TV’s most quotable and hilarious series. If you haven’t seen it, you are bad. If you like it, you are good. Life is simple like this.

Anyway, I’m sure you’ll love the fact that we’ll clearly be seeing Mac and Charlie get into hockey shenanigans during the series’ 6th season, which premieres on FX this Thursday, September 16th at 10:00 PM ET. I know series creator/star/producer Rob McElhenney is a Flyer fan. By the way, that’s this Thursday, September 16th at 10:00 PM ET. That’s right FX, this Thursday, September 16th, at 10:00 PM ET. Please, if anyone at FX ever reads this, let me get an interview with any of the guys from the show. I will love you forever, and continue to promote your show in this ridiculous fashion.

Your Daily Music Song?

Hello there, loyal reader. Hopefully something you enjoy at 10AM. From there, we go.

New Bad Religion soon. Stoked.

NHL To Get It’s Vanity Fair Spot Soon

From Dan Rosen’s great chronicling of the NHL player media tour, which sounds like the most fun thing ever:

Crosby and Ovechkin did a photo shoot for Vanity Fair on Tuesday. Sabres goalie Ryan Miller, an amateur photographer in his spare time, is taking Stamkos, Lundqvist, Doughty, Bergeron and Mike Cammalleri out Wednesday for his own photo shoot for Vanity Fair.

And Now, Some Unabashed Enthusiasm For McKeen’s Pool Yearbook

I can honestly say that I’d never read McKeen’s 2010-11 Pool Yearbook before I received my copy from generous editor Gus Katsaros yesterday. I can also honestly say that I’ve never read any hockey yearbook like it. Creative, forward-thinking, well-written and an easy read with well-researched information. I fully recommend it for any hockey fan, fantasy-player or not.

I’ll just use myself as an example: I’m not a fantasy player, never really have been, might get in a league this year, but will probably lapse. I still enjoyed the book for its multitude of player projection, just because its fun to debate what kind of seasons certain players have (I think they’re totally underrating Travis Zajac) and where teams will finish, etc. It’s less about storylines and more about the fun numbers and statistics hockey geeks lap up with ease.

You can order your copy, or find out where you can purchase one in person, right here. Until the new Daily Show book is released next week, it is what I shall be reading non-stop.

Your Daily Music Song

Barren of news again, mostly. Hopefully some interesting stuff will come of the NHL’s media tour this week.

Looking to write some opinion stuff for the rest of the week. Some unabashed advertising for something a friend sent that I enjoyed a ton in a little bit. From there, we move on. You’re no better than a lonely sailor.

The NHL Network’s Special Announcement Is Kind of a Letdown

So mystery solved, courtesy of James Mirtle:

Senators will hold a news conference on Wednesday at 11 a.m. Owner Eugene Melnyk will be joined by Gary Bettman to make major announcement.

The big news? Bank on it being Ottawa landing the 2012 all-star game.

Here’s the NHL Net’s press release:

OTTAWA, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – Sept. 13, 2010) – The Ottawa Senators will hold a news conference on Wednesday, Sept. 15, at 11 a.m. at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier Hotel. Senators owner Eugene Melnyk and president Cyril Leeder will be joined by National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman to make a major announcement.

The news conference will take place in the Drawing Room at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier Hotel (1 Rideau Street, Ottawa) prior to the club’s season-opening luncheon, which is scheduled to begin at noon.

Media are asked to enter the Fairmont Chateau Laurier Hotel via the main entrance on Rideau Street.

The news conference will be broadcast live in its entirety on Sens TV Online at www.OttawaSenators.com.

What is the NHL Network’s Special Announcement on Wednesday?

This has been the mystery of the weekend. We received a tip from a ready on Saturday asking us what the “Special Announcement” NHL Network had scheduled for Wednesday. I had no idea what he was talking about, but sure enough, when I went to the NHL Net’s schedule page it was there. It’ll air at 11AM ET live, and in repeat form throughout the rest of the day.

Now, the question is, what could it possibly be? Is someone retiring? Is the league planning a major announcement? Is the network announcing something itself? I literally have no idea, and the folks I’ve spoken to about the matter are keeping it under wraps. What I do know is that those of you without NHL Network will be able to watch it on NHL.com, and it is “something that has speculated about” according to a source.

So, how about some fun and a guessing game in the comments? Let me know what you think, and I guess we’ll report what’s happening when we know.

Your Daily Music Song

Welcome back. We have a mystery for you all to solve. From there, we’ll see what news we find.

XM Debuts New Caps Series Tonight

NEW YORK (September 10, 2010) – Having chronicled their personal journeys through the eventful 2009-10 NHL season by recording their thoughts and observations, Washington Capitals Mike Knuble and Tyler Sloan will give fans a first-hand account of life in the NHL tonight with the premiere of “Hockey Diaries: The Almost Season,” presented by NHL Radio and broadcast on Sirius XM Radio and streamed on NHL.com .

Knuble will appear in person and in front of a live audience at Sirius XM’s Performance 1 Studio radio theater in Washington, D.C. Sloan will join via telephone as both players take questions from those in attendance and those calling in. Sirius XM will air the event live from 7-9 p.m. ET – the documentary for the first hour followed by the studio Q & A that will be hosted by Sirius XM’S Glenn Younes – on NHL Home Ice XM 204 and SIRIUS 208.

The show encourages NHL fans to call in with questions during the live special. The number to submit questions is 1-877-645-6696.

NHL Radio’s “The Almost Season” tells the story of the triumph and disappointment of the Caps’ 2009-10 season through the thoughtful audio diary entries of veteran forward Knuble and aspiring young defenseman Sloan supplemented by personal interviews and rich field recordings. “The Almost Season” captures the intensity of the game, the mood of the team and the psyche of the players as they chase down their four goals: win the division, win the Eastern Conference, win the Presidents’ Trophy, win the Stanley Cup.

“The Almost Season” was produced in association with Gemma Hooley and Chris Nelson of Media Chameleon. The executive producer is Gregg Baldinger, director of NHL Radio.