SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The 2016 Toyota AHL All-Star Classic is just days away, and the two-day event at the historic War Memorial Arena in Syracuse, N.Y., will reach millions of hockey fans worldwide through extensive television, internet streaming, radio and social media coverage.
This year’s showcase, with the 2016 Toyota AHL All-Star Skills Competition set for Sunday (8 p.m. ET) and the 2016 Toyota AHL All-Star Challenge to follow on Monday (7 p.m. ET), will be produced by Concom Inc. and will be televised to more than 110 million households throughout North America, including national audiences on Sportsnet and Sportsnet ONE in Canada and more than 25 regional networks across the United States.
John Bartlett, play-by-play announcer for the Montreal Canadiens on Sportsnet, will handle play-by-play duties alongside color analyst Bob McGill, commentator for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Marlies on Leafs TV. Dan D’Uva, the television and radio voice of the Syracuse Crunch, will be handle interviews rinkside both nights. Click here for a complete schedule of stations and air times for the 2016 Toyota AHL All-Star Classic on the AHL All-Star TV network.
AHL Live is also offering a free on-line video stream of the 2016 Toyota AHL All-Star Classic to AHL fans worldwide. Simply log in at ahllive.com from a desktop or laptop computer, select the All-Star broadcasts and enter the promo code ASC2016, then watch the AHL All-Star Classic live on ahllive.com or through the AHL Live mobile app.
In addition, NHL Network Radio (SiriusXM channel 91) will air the 2016 AHL All-Star Challenge on Monday night with Brendan Burke of the Utica Comets and Josh Heller of the Albany Devils on the call, joined by Syracuse University’s Jonny Wincott. Pre-game coverage begins at 6:45 p.m. ET on Monday, and the radio broadcast will also be available on ESPN Radio 1200 in Syracuse, 94.9 FM KROCK in Utica, and online at espnsyracuse.com.
And throughout the weekend, the American Hockey League will be taking fans behind the scenes of the 2016 Toyota AHL All-Star Classic on its social media platforms. Follow the AHL on Twitter (@TheAHL), Facebook (fb.com/TheAHL) and Instagram (@TheAHL) and use #AHLAllStar to be part of the conversation.
A limited number of tickets for the 2016 Toyota AHL All-Star Classic are still available. They can be purchased either in person at the Syracuse Crunch office located in the War Memorial Arena at 800 South State Street in Syracuse or by calling (315) 473-4444, through all Ticketmaster outlets or online at www.ticketmaster.com.
Complimentary tickets for the AHL Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Ceremony are available by visiting the Syracuse Crunch office or by phone at (315) 473-4444. The AHL Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Ceremony, to be held at the Crouse Hinds Theater at 11 a.m. on Feb. 1, will feature the induction of Bruce Cline, Ralph Keller, Jean-Francois Labbe and Bruce Landon as the AHL Hall of Fame Class of 2016 and will also celebrate honorary All-Star Classic captains Michael Peca and Scott Walker.
The 2016 Toyota AHL All-Star Skills Competition on Sunday will keep its traditional format, with All-Stars from the Eastern Conference squaring off against All-Stars from the Western Conference in seven skills events. The 2016 Toyota AHL All-Star Challenge will take place on Monday evening and instead of a traditional 60-minute game, the AHL’s All-Stars will be divided into four teams, one representing each of the league’s divisions (Atlantic, North, Central, Pacific). The teams will then play a round-robin tournament featuring six games of nine minutes each; the first half of each game will be played at 4-on-4, and the second half at 3-on-3. The two teams with the best records at the end of the round-robin tournament will face off for the championship, a six-minute game played at 3-on-3.
The 2016 Toyota AHL All-Star Classic in Syracuse will feature the top young talent in the American Hockey League: Of the 679 players to take part in the AHL All-Star Classic since 1995, more than 94 percent have competed in the National Hockey League, including Patrice Bergeron, Ben Bishop, Troy Brouwer, Ryan Callahan, Zdeno Chara, Logan Couture, Jiri Hudler, Tyler Johnson, Chris Kunitz, Ryan Miller, Gustav Nyquist, Zach Parise, Tuukka Rask, Pekka Rinne, Bobby Ryan, Cory Schneider, Patrick Sharp, Jason Spezza, Eric Staal, P.K. Subban and Mats Zuccarello.
In operation since 1936 and celebrating its 80th-anniversary season in 2015-16, the AHL continues to serve as the top development league for all 30 National Hockey League teams. More than 88 percent of today’s NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and for the 14th year in a row, more than 6 million fans attended AHL games across North America in 2014-15.
