FORT LAUDERDALE – The NHL will head north for All-Star Week in 2024, with Toronto selected as the host city for the coming winter festivals.
League Commissioner Gary Bettman made the announcement during a press conference Saturday ahead of this year’s All-Star game in South Florida. He invited is a maple tree Chairman and former NHL player Brendan Shanahan and current Leafs forward Mitch Marnerrepresented the group at proceedings this weekend, to promote Toronto’s future engagement.
“Obviously it’s going to be a little colder here,” said Marner, “but I think it’s just rumors going around. [will be great]. People love to go to Toronto, it’s always a good place to visit, a good place to play. You know, the fans will always be there. The food and restaurant are also quite good. It will be a little colder but nothing like a winter coat [can’t fix].”
The 2024 nod will be Toronto’s ninth time hosting the All-Star Weekend. When the event took place there in 2000, Shanahan — then a member of Detroit Red Wings — joined. He may not remember much about the experience now but hopefully the Leaves will help make next year’s rollout a climax.
“That was a long time ago, in 2000,” Shanahan said. “I just miss the excitement and buzz in the city. Whenever you come to Toronto to watch hockey, and especially something like the All-Star Game, you can feel the excitement. excitement of all the people Our fans are excited about it, Torontonians are excited about it We hope to build on that and the excitement about organizing and bringing to a great show for all these NHL players and their families and all the NHL fans.”
The prospect of returning to an Original Six city with a fervent passion for the sport also appealed to the league strongly.
“In Toronto, where hockey is so important, we may not have 80 degrees, but we have real intensity from one of the major hockey markets in the world,” Bettman said.
While one Canadian city received a desirable assignment, another is still looking for its next owner. Bettman said Senator from Ottawa There is an application from “15 people or more” interested in buying a franchise.
“The data room is open and my guess is at some point in the next few weeks or so there will be a preliminary cut based on the preliminary bid,” Bettman said. “But the process is being done directly with potential buyers.”
Bettman also quashed any speculation that the Senators might move the city once the sale is complete. The only change of address the team may face is from its current residence outside Ottawa in the suburbs of Kanata, Ontario, to one where former owner Eugene Melnyk – who passed away in 2022 – – discovered the future of the club.
“I want to make it clear that whoever bought this club did so to keep it in Ottawa,” Bettman said. “And there could be a great opportunity to bring the team downtown to LeBreton Flats, which I think makes this an even more exciting opportunity. [It would be] the only team in the nation’s capital.”
