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It goes without saying that there is going to be a ton of coverage out there for the All Star weekend. The N&O has already been doing a tremendous job, every local television station will be broadcasting from various events, and 99.9 The Fan has special reporting planned.
While we don't have the resources that the mainstream media outlets have, we'll be trying to do our part here at Canes Country.
I have been granted credentials by the NHL and will posting interviews, photos, videos, and other behind the scenes information, as best as I can. I'll also be tweeting more often than usual and will include some photos on the Canes Country Twitter account.
We will be updating the blog with any news of interest as time permits and I'll type up a nightly recap of my day's events. Hopefully, it will be somewhat different from what you'll see elsewhere.
Don't worry, we will not forget about the Canes! The trade deadline will be here before you know it and Jim Rutherford has some big decisions ahead. There are questions that need to be answered and interesting analysis needs to be done. Look for articles regarding this in the near future.
Our email boxes have been swamped with various news items and I'll try to pass along some of them below:
Win four tickets for the weekend!
You have until 11 a.m. on Friday to purchase raffle tickets to win four tickets to the All Star Game, Skills Competition, and other events, as well as a ton of Hurricanes related prizes. Tickets are just $2 each and all proceeds go to the Food Back of Central and Eastern North Carolina.
Sergei Samsonov has lent his name to the cause. For more info, check out the following link:
Sergei's NHL All Star Weekend Raffle.
Here are a few of the many events taking place:
LEGACY CLASSROOM
Friday at 10 a.m. Gary Bettman, Jim Rutherford, Cam Ward, Aaron Ward, Danny Briere, Willie O'Ree, and Pat LaFontaine will be at the NC Children's Hospital in Chapel Hill to unveil a new "NHL Legacy Classroom."
The National Hockey League (NHL), the National Hockey League
Players' Association (NHLPA), the Carolina Hurricanes and
Hockey Hall of Famer Pat LaFontaine and his Companions in
Courage charity will officially unveil a new, state-of-the-art
"NHL Legacy Classroom" at North Carolina Children's Hospital
at a special press conference on Friday, Jan. 28 at 10 a.m. ET.
The interactive "NHL Legacy Classroom" at N.C. Children's
Hospital will commemorate 2011 NHL All-Star Weekend, the
League's midseason spectacular and the first held in
Raleigh. The classroom, one of only two in North America and the only
one in North Carolina, will feature innovative
communications tools that will allow young patients to connect to family,
friends, schools and teachers anywhere in the world during a
hospital stay. These tools include presenting sponsor Cisco
System's advanced video conferencing capabilities and WebEx
tools, and a SMART Board and a SMART Table, provided by
SMART Technologies.
HOCKEY FOR HUGGIES
At 2 p.m. there will be a press conference including Peter and Danialle Karmanos, Eric and Tanya Staal, (with son Parker), Gary Bettman, Jim Rutherford, Ellen Pompeo, (Grey's Anatomy), and other dignitaries to announce a new program called "Hockey For Huggies", a partnership to help collect diapers and donations for moms and babies in need in the U.S. and Canada.
The National Hockey League® (NHL) and Kimberly-Clark's Huggies
Brand will hold a press conference at NHL Fan Fair™ to
announce the launch of Hockey for Huggies, a partnership to
help collect diapers and donations for moms and babies in need
in the U.S. and Canada.Peter Karmanos Jr., Carolina Hurricanes C.E.O / Owner /
Governor, Danialle Karmanos, wife of Carolina Hurricanes owner
Jim Rutherford, Carolina Hurricanes President / General Manager
Bob Thibault, President, North America Baby and Child Care
Actress Ellen Pompeo, Huggies Every Little Bottom ambassador
Gary Bettman, NHL Commissioner
Eric and Tanya Staal with son Parker, Carolina Hurricanes
Linda Staal, Eric Staal’s motherToday, 1 in 3 American and 1 in 5 Canadian mothers struggle
with diaper need, and have had to cut back on basics – food,
utilities such as heat or electricity, or even childcare – in
order to provide enough diapers for their babies. The critical
issue of diaper need prompted Huggies to develop Every Little
Bottom – an initiative with the single mission to help get
diapers to babies in need. Now, in support of Hockey for
Huggies, all 30 clubs in the NHL are hosting diaper drives
throughout the month of February.VISUALS: Ellen Pompeo, Eric Staal and wife Tanya donating the first pack
of diapers
NOTE: Fans with tickets to NHL Fan Fair will be granted access to
this press conference, which takes place 1 hour before doors
officially open to the public.
Schedule of Events from NHL:
Friday, January 28
2011 NHL FAN FAIR PUBLIC SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FOR FRIDAY, JANUARY 28
The following is a public schedule of events for Friday, January 28 at NHL
Fan Fair at the Raleigh Convention Center. All times and appearances are
subject to change.
Tickets are $10 each and available for purchase at the door. Children under
the age of two are admitted for free.
3:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Hours of NHL Fan Fair operation
4:00 p.m. Meet NHL All-Star rookie Jeff Skinner and create your own
hockey trading card presented by Upper Deck
4:00 p.m. NHL All-Star Game officials Tom Kowal (referee) and
Darren Gibbs (linesman) host a chat session at the XM Theater, moderated by
John Forslund
5:00 p.m. Watch the NC State Hip Hop Group, Fusion, perform
5:30 p.m. NHL All-Star rookie Jeff Skinner has a chat with
moderator John Forslund at the XM Theater
5:30 p.m. Ronald McDonald visits the McDonald’s Kids Zone
7:00 p.m. Former NHLer Aaron Ward has a chat with moderator John at
the XM Theater
8:00 p.m. NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft powered by Cisco
A player draft will determine the team rosters for Team
Staal and Team Lidstrom for the 2011 NHL All-Star Game presented by
Discover as well as the Honda NHL SuperSkills®.
Note: A ticket to NHL Fan Fair is required for entry and
only a select number of fans will be asked to join the live studio audience
for the NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft.
Special appearances by former NHLers Troy Crowder, Ryan
Vandenbussche and Aaron Ward throughout the day at NHL Fan Fair.
NHL Fan Fair Hours of Operation
Friday, Jan. 28, from 3 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 29, from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 30, from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Visit NHL.com/fanfair for up-to-date information on NHL Fan Fair.
NHL® All-Star Wide Open
The NHL All-Star celebration starts outside the Convention Center
with the NHL All-Star Wide Open outdoor series. What started in 2006 to
mark the reopening of Fayetteville Street, the NHL All-Star Wide Open will
also include a series of free concerts at the Amphitheater High Stick Stage
and a street party festival on Fayetteville and Cabarrus Streets in the
style of the popular Raleigh Wide Open.
No ticket required for entry into the Amphitheater. Admittance is
first come, first served.
All-Star Wide Open hours of operation:
Friday, Jan. 28, from 3 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 29, from 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Media Information for NHL Fan Fair
Media are welcome at NHL Fan Fair all day, including the following events
prior to the 3pm opening:
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. YMCA Kid’s Day
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. Hockey for Huggies Press Conference at the Stanley
Cup Stage
Saturday, January 29
9:00 a.m. NHL All-Star 5K presented by visitRaleigh
RBC Center
The Carolina Hurricanes and the NHL will team up for the NHL All-Star 5K charity run/walk, a spectator-friendly race that will loop around the RBC Center. The race is open to runners and walkers of all ages and abilities and will benefit the Carolina Hurricanes Kids ‘N Community Foundation. For more information, visit www.ncraces.com.
10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. NHL All-Star Wide Open Street Celebration
Downtown Raleigh - Fayetteville and Cabarrus Streets
10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. NHL Fan Fair
Raleigh Convention Center
Tickets are $8 in advance, $10 at the door and available for purchase at Ticketmaster.com, RBC Center and Harris Teeter locations
2pm: Meet NHL All-Star rookie Taylor Hall and create your own hockey trading card presented by Upper Deck
Visit NHL.com/fanfair for up-to-date information on NHL Fan Fair.
1:00-3:00 p.m. NHL/USA Hockey Press Conference & Youth Hockey Clinic
RecZone
912 Hodges Street, Raleigh, NC 27608
The NHL and USA Hockey will team up for a special American Development Model (ADM) youth hockey clinic at the RecZone in Raleigh. The clinic will be led by USA Hockey management and coaches and include Carolina Hurricanes forward and NHL All-Star Rookie Jeff Skinner, Hockey Hall of Famer Grant Fuhr, Philadelphia Flyers head coach and NHL All-Star co-coach Peter Laviolette and Toronto Maple Leafs President and GM Brian Burke as guest instructors.
4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Red Carpet Arrivals
RBC Center - front lawn, directly across from Carter-Finley Stadium on RBC Center Road
NHL All-Stars, Rookies, Coaches and special guests will greet fans and media along the red carpet upon their arrival for the night’s festivities. 7:00 p.m. Honda NHL SuperSkills
RBC Center
(VERSUS, CBC, RDS, NHL Radio)
The NHL All-Stars and rookies will showcase their talents in six events, including the Bridgestone NHL Fastest Skater™, BlackBerry NHL Breakaway Challenge™, McDonald’s NHL Accuracy Shooting™, G Series NHL Skills Challenge Relay™, XM NHL Hardest Shot™ and the Discover NHL Elimination Shootout™.
Sunday, January 30
10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. NHL Fan Fair
Raleigh Convention Center
Tickets are $8 in advance, $10 at the door and available for purchase at Ticketmaster.com, RBC Center and Harris Teeter locations
Visit NHL.com/fanfair for up-to-date information on NHL Fan Fair.
4:00 p.m. 58th NHL All-Star Game
RBC Center
(VERSUS, CBC, RDS, NHL Radio)
Team Staal, led by Carolina Hurricanes forward Eric Staal, will face off against Team Lidstrom, led by Detroit Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom in the mid-season spectacular.
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I also received an email from Time Warner Cable with info that might interest some of you.
Time Warner Cable and the NHL Team up to Offer Hockey Fans a One-of-a-Kind Interactive Experience at 2011 NHL All-Star Fan Fair™
(Raleigh, NC) January 21, 2011 –Hockey fans: get ready to Step Thru the Screen with Time Warner Cable Sports at the 2011 NHL Fan Fair ™ at the Raleigh Convention Center.
From January 28-30, attendees will dive into the ultimate interactive experience at the Time Warner Cable Sports booth.
For those who have always dreamed of being a sports reporter, here is your chance to go in front of the camera to take part in an HD ‘sportscast’ using green screen technology. In 30 seconds or less attendees will sit behind the Time Warner Cable sports desk and call the shots as to why their favorite NHL player is the best. Hockey connoisseurs will even have the opportunity to come up with their own script if they choose, all in a replicated sports newsroom setting. Approved videos will be put up on Time Warner Cable’s YouTube Channel (www.youtube.com/
timewarnercable) and participants will receive a customized link to their video.
Fans will also get an opportunity to see local Sports Anchors Jim Connors and Mike Solarte from News 14 Carolina interview some of the NHL’s biggest players, coaches and legends at the Time Warner Cable sports desk. Other segments will include NHL Fan Fair highlights and NHL All-Star Game and player commentary.
Fans are encouraged to follow Time Warner Cable’s Twitter handle @TWCCarolinas and check out the Time Warner Cable Facebook page for updates on talent appearances and live tweets from the Time Warner Cable Sports booth.
Time Warner Cable Sports is the official video provider of the 2011 NHL All-Star Fan Fair. The three-day action-packed Festival for NHL fans will host a variety of hockey-related events, exhibitions and performances culminating in the NHL All-Star Game.