NHL All-Star Week

I was lucky enough to get a chance to attend some of the NHL All-Star festivities a couple of weeks ago, but I haven’t had a chance to write about my experience until now… I had a great time and got a ton of great pictures.

Sarah and I took Asher down to the American Airlines Center on the Saturday before the big game for the All-Star kick off party. It was cold and rainy but they still held a celebrity street hockey game sponsored by the Dennis Leary Firefighters foundation. It was a team of celebs including Jason Whitten of the Dallas Cowboys, some local radio personalities, and a couple of members of the ’99 Stanley Cup Champion Dallas Stars versus a team of local Dallas firefighters. The teams were coached by the two token hot-chicks from the TV show ‘Rescue Me’. It was interesting to see a game of boot hockey played in the pouring rain…

Asher and me – at the AAC

Andrea Roth of ‘Rescue Me’

Wade Williams – Brad Bellick on ‘Prison Break’

On Monday night, the All-Star teams held practices at the AAC as well as a ‘Salute to a Generation of Stars’… It ended up being a lot cooler than it sounds. Cuba Gooding Jr. hosted the event, but the highlight of the evening to me was seeing Mario Lemieux. Before the practices, members of the ’99 Dallas Stars arrived on the red carpet outside carrying the Stanley Cup. It was interesting to see how different they all looked – kind of like going to a 10 year high school reunion. Some guys, like Modano and Belfour, look exactly the same, while others looked… well… like they were thoroughly enjoying retirement (old & fat).

The W Hotel

Stanley Cup Champions of old

Super Mario

Why do I always have a lazy eye in pictures???

On Tuesday night, I got an invitation at the last minute to go to the YoungStars game & Skillz Challenge. It was awesome to see all the greatest hockey players in the world gathered on a single sheet of ice. Getting to see Sidney Crosby skate 3 times in one week was priceless.

South Plaza of the American Airlines Center

Sid the Kid

Crosby – about to humiliate Miikka Kiprusoff

All of these pics are posted on the photos page under Hockey –> 2007 All-Star Week