NHL replaces All-Star fantasy draft with country music infomercial
When the NHL announced it was scrapping its All-Star Game Fantasy Draft – a.k.a. a night of boozy fun and awkward banter – it also announced there would be some kind of programming on NBCSN on Friday night from Nashville.
We now know what that programming is, and the operative word apparently was “Nashville.”
NBCSN and Sportsnet will broadcast “NHL All-Star Friday Night: Live In Music City” on Friday night at 8 p.m., live from the Honda Stage at Bridgestone Winter Park. The event will be co-hosted by Kimberly Perry of The Band Perry and Kathryn Tappen of NHL Network and NBC.
From the NHL:
With the NHL All-Star takeover of downtown Nashville as the backdrop, the primetime special will feature performances from Aaron Lewis, Kristian Bush, Big & Rich, John Hiatt and Lee Brice from the outdoor Honda Stage at Bridgestone Winter Park in the heart of downtown Nashville. The telecast also will feature interviews and appearances from NHL All-Stars Matt Duchene of the Colorado Avalanche, Johnny Gaudreau of the Calgary Flames, Roman Josi, Pekka Rinne and Shea Weber of the Nashville Predators, Brandon Saad of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning, P.K. Subban of the Montreal Canadiens and more.
Duchene and Gaudreau are country music fans. This we know. We can’t speak for anyone else that might be watching an hour-long All-Star Game informerical on a Friday night.
And yes, that is Aaron Lewis from STAIND. It’s been a while, so you may not have noticed he went country.
Lest anyone thing this special won’t have an educational component:
Country music legend and Honda NHL All-Star Game celebrity coach Vince Gill and Josi will give viewers a tour of the Gibson Guitar Factory.
(“And this here is a ES-175, Roman. You think Shea likes a ES-175?”
“Please stop asking me about this Shea Weber.”)
Honestly, this could be a blast if they just added six little words to this press release: “Alex Ovechkin” and “red Solo cup” and “selfie.”
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Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.
