NHL unveils Awards and Entry Draft coverage plans

NEW YORK - In the next week, the National Hockey League's top players and top prospects take center stage for two of the NHL's most prestigious post-season events.  All three of the League's media platforms -- NHL Network, NHL.com and NHL Radio -- will provide coverage from one or both sites at the 2010 NHL Awards in Las Vegas and the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, the NHL announced today.

The Palms Hotel in Las Vegas will be the NHL's home for two days starting Tuesday, June 22 as the brightest stars and best regular-season performers gather with Hollywood stars for the 2010 NHL Awards (June 23, 7:00 p.m. ET, VS, CBC, RDS). 

NHL Network's Awards coverage begins with a special one-hour NHL On The Fly Awards Preview show at 9:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 19.  The NHL Network panel, hosted by OTF's Dan Pollard along with analysts Mike Johnson and Gary Green, will review the finalists and highlight the plays, saves and off-ice contributions to their communities that make each player a contender for these accolades.  The show will re-air on June 20 at 2 a.m. and 11 a.m. ET as well as 6:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, June 23.

NHL.com will be on-site for live updates beginning on Tuesday, June 22 with media day at 6:00 p.m. ET.  A team of writers, who have diligently watched each player throughout the season, will report on each award and finalist with player interviews and analysis.

NHL.com will also stream exclusive pre-show coverage, the 2010 NHL Awards Red Carpet Show Presented by Verizon, live from the red carpet on Wednesday, June 23 at 6:00 p.m. ET, immediately preceding the 2010 Awards theatre show.  Host Carrie Milbank, along with roving reporters Alyonka Larionov and Deanna Kay, will give fans the opportunity to meet their NHL idols up-close and personal with special interviews in red-carpet style.  A number of the NHL's regular-season awards also will be recognized on the red carpet, including the Art Ross Trophy, ‘Rocket' Richard Trophy, William Jennings Trophy, Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award presented by Bridgestone and the NHL Foundation Player Award. 

NHL Live!, the NHL's daily radio show -- broadcast live on Sirius XM Radio, streamed on NHL.com and simulcast on NHL Network -- will have daily programming at its regular time, Monday through Friday from noon – 2 p.m. ET, to recap the award winners and all the NHL news of the day.

Beginning Friday, June 25, NHL media platforms will have all Entry Draft angles covered. The big question remains: Who will be picked No. 1?  The race is close between two future NHL stars, C Tyler Seguin of the Plymouth Whalers and LW Taylor Hall of the Windsor Spitfires. 

The Network's one-hour Draft Preview Show hits the airwaves at 6:00 p.m. ET on Friday, June 25 as Brian Duff and Mike Johnson provide their analysis of which player will be selected in the coveted first overall position.  Carried live on Versus in the United States and TSN and RDS in Canada, the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft will be telecast from the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET.  

Immediately following the conclusion of round one, the NHL Network team will be on the air again at 11:00 p.m. ET for post-draft reaction.  On Saturday, On the Fly host Dan Pollard, analyst and former NHL GM Craig Button and Kings Vision host Heidi Androl will take viewers through rounds two through seven as NHL Network is the exclusive broadcaster for day two of the Draft beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET.

NHL Radio will provide first-round coverage of the NHL Entry Draft, which can be heard on radio stations across North America, including NHL Home Ice XM 204, and on NHL.com.

NHL.com's coverage includes special behind-the-scenes video features starring the NHL Top Prospects on their trip to Anaheim to take batting practice with the Dodgers and Angels, the NHL's on-ice clinic with Los Angeles Kings captain Dustin Brown and extensive reporting from Entry Draft media day from atop the Target Terrace overlooking LA Live.  For comprehensive Awards and Entry Draft coverage, visit www.nhl.com.