Hockey Day Minnesota on 92.1 The Fan

Saturday is Hockey Day Minnesota at Bayfront Park in Duluth. We have the event covered on 92.1 The Fan, and you can listen free on iHeartRadio.

Here's a preview of what you'll hear on the radio, besides the games, of course. Jeff Papas, Kraig Karakas, and I will be with you throughout the day. We start on the air at 9:30am Saturday.

At 9:35am, Duluth Mayor Emily Larson welcomes this wonderful event to the city and Bayfront Park.

At 9:40am, we talk with the new executive director of the Duluth Amateur Hockey Association, Jason Watt, about his new role and growing up playing on Duluth's outdoor rinks all the way to his time at UMD.

Before the 10am game between Eveleth-Gilbert and Duluth Denfeld, we'll visit with the head coaches of both teams, Jeff Torrel of Eveleth-Gilbert and Kevin Smalley from Duluth Denfeld.

After the first period, we chat with the director of the Local Organizing Committee that was instrumental in bringing Hockey Day Minnesota to Bayfront Park, Jeremy Downs. We'll discuss the challenges and the amount of work that went into this production.

In the second intermission, we'll hear from the athletic director at Duluth Denfeld, Tom Pearson, as we learn about the impact of the event on Denfeld's athletic program and community.

Between games, we have a number of interviews lined up. At around 12:20, we chat with DAHA Board President Brett Klosowski about the impact of Hockey Day Minnesota on the association.

Then around 12:30, we talk to former Duluth hockey star and UMD Bulldog Pat Francisco, who was instrumental in organizing the funding effort that led to construction of the Duluth Heritage Sports Center.

At 12:35, we talk to Dane Youngblom of the Duluth Fire Department, followed by Sgt. Ken Zwak of the Duluth Police Department, as we preview the Police vs Fire outdoor hockey game that will be played Saturday night.

Around 12:40, we visit with a representative of the Minnesota Wild and Fox Sports North, talking about the history of Hockey Day Minnesota, which is in its tenth year in 2016.

Then, before the Duluth East vs Lakeville North game at 1pm, we preview the game with Lakeville North coach Trent Eigner and Duluth East coach Mike Randolph.

After the first period of East-Lakeville North, we'll hear from Duluth East athletic director Shawn Roed. He'll discuss how this event came together for Duluth's high school hockey teams and preview his winter sports teams in upcoming playoffs.

Following the second period, we'll learn about the Duluth Area Special and Sled Hockey Program from Christian Koelling of DASSH, who is also director of hockey operations for the UMD men's program.

Hope you can join us.

Hockey Day America Activities Set

More than a decade ago, CBC spawned a superb day of programming called Hockey Day in Canada.

As the Canadian network embarks on the 11th annual Hockey Day in Canada, the celebrations of this great sport have expanded.

Fox Sports North launched Hockey Day Minnesota in 2008. The now-annual tradition includes televised outdoor high-school games, a Gopher game, and a Wild game.

(As for the other Division I schools in Minnesota, well, pfft.)

This year, the geniuses at FSN scheduled their event for the same day as Hockey Day in Canada, Feb. 12.

Eight days later, NBC will, for the first time, make Hockey Day in America a nationally-televised event. As part of a press release touting a McDonalds sponsorship, the NHL detailed that day, which is scheduled for Feb. 20.

Here is the scoop.

The NHL and NBC Sports will celebrate America’s passion for hockey with the inaugural Hockey Day in America presented by McDonald’s on Sunday, February 20.

With six hours of coverage (Noon-6 p.m. ET) – which will include four NHL games – hosted from Millennium Park’s outdoor ice rink in Chicago, NBC Sports will tell the stories that demonstrate this country’s affinity for hockey – from hockey parents who chauffeur pee wees to practice before sunrise to the U.S. Pond Hockey Championships in Minnesota, played by amateurs amidst arctic temperatures, to ‘celebrity’ hockey played by actors and producers in Los Angeles to inner-city hockey in Washington, D.C. that has made a difference in the lives of countless children and young adults.

NBC Sports will broadcast four NHL games featuring eight teams from some of the most avid U.S. hockey markets. The first three games will be broadcast regionally with staggered starts. All viewers will begin the day with the same game before some viewers are taken to their regional game. The staggered starts allow for live look-ins of the other regionalized games during intermissions. The fourth game, Pittsburgh at Chicago, will be broadcast nationally. All games will be streamed live on NBCSports.com.

“Hockey Day in America” is part of “Hockey Weekend Across America.” Launched by USA Hockey in 2008, “Hockey Weekend Across America” is a nationwide initiative to celebrate the game and those involved at all levels and to expose hockey to new audiences.