Courtesy Adirondack Thunder
A Hockey Hall of Fame Exhibit will be part of the 2017 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic weekend in the Glens Falls area in January.
The All-Star Classic, presented by I LOVE NY, will feature the ECHL all-stars facing off against the hometown Adirondack Thunder.
The game will be played Jan. 18 in a non-traditional format to incorporate both the game and a skills competition into an all-encompassing experience for fans in one night. The event will be played as two 25-minute halves, with the skills competition to be held in between. The event will be televised throughout North America to showcase the league’s best talent.
As part of the festivities, there will be 12 exhibit showcases and interactive games at the Fan Fest on Tuesday, Jan. 17, including displays featuring the Vezina Trophy and Hart Trophy.
The Vezina Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League’s goaltender who is judged to be the best at his position in voting by the league’s general managers. Former South Carolina goaltender Braden Holtby received the award last season, becoming the third former ECHL goaltender to get the honor.
Former Hampton Roads Admirals’ goaltender and ECHL Hall of Fame member Olaf Kolzig received the award in 1999-2000, and former Birmingham Bulls’ goaltender Tim Thomas won the award in 2008-09 and 2010-11.
The Hart Memorial Trophy is presented annually to the National Hockey League’s Most Valuable Player. Wayne Gretzky won the award a record nine times during his career, including eight consecutive seasons from 1979-80 through 1986-87. Gordie Howe received the Hart Trophy six times during his career.
There will be exhibits on the 1980 “Miracle on the Ice” U.S. Olympic hockey team, NHL superstars past and present, the origins of hockey, historic pieces from hockey in New York and ECHL artifacts. Interactive games, including an interactive hockey net, goaltender challenge, radar gun, mini-rink and bubble hockey, will also be available for fans of all ages to take part in and interact with the ECHL All-Stars and Adirondack Thunder players.
The Hockey Hall of Fame display will be available starting at 6 p.m. on Jan. 17 at the Fort William Henry Resort in Lake George.
Fan Fest will also include live music and entertainment; local craft brews, wines, spirits and foods; family friendly activities, displays and attractions; a meet-and-greet with All-Star and Adirondack Thunder players, coaches, VIPs and dignitaries.
Tickets for Fan Fest–$10 for adults and $5 for youth–can be purchased at the Adirondack Thunder offices, located at the Glens Falls Civic Center, or by contacting Sean Driscoll at sdriscoll@echlthunder.com or 480-3355, ext. 319.
Begun in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 27 teams in 21 states and one Canadian province for its 29th season in 2016-17. There have been 608 players who have started their career in the ECHL and gone on to play in the NHL, including nine who made their NHL debuts in the 2016-17 season.
The ECHL has affiliations with 26 of the 30 NHL teams in 2016-17, marking the 20th consecutive season that the league had affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL. Further information on the ECHL is available on its website at ECHL.com.