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USA Today
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
What time is the 2025 Stanley Pup? Start time, schedule, full lineup
What time is the 2025 Stanley Pup? Start time, schedule, full lineup Show Caption Hide Caption Nikki Glaser promotes the Stanley Pup, MaeDay Rescue Nikki Glaser promotes MaeDay Rescue, the second edition of the Stanley Pup. With the 2025 Stanley Cup Final officially underway, it's time to gear up for the second most important competition: NHL's "Stanley Pup." The friendly fixture celebrating the 2025 Stanley Cup Final will feature 32 adoptable rescue dogs "showing their canine skills on ice." Dogs for the competition, now in its second year, have been provided by national nonprofit organization Petco Love through their shelter partners across the country "to spotlight the joy of pet adoption." 'We were thrilled with the success of the first-ever 'Stanley Pup' in 2024 and because of the amazing response from audiences watching at home, the NHL is excited to bring it back this season with even more rescue dogs,' NHL Content and Events President Steve Mayer said in a statement. "We can't wait to see what fun this year's friendly competition brings as the 'players' hit the Stanley Pup rink.' Mark Shunock and Chris Rose will offer the play-by-play commentary during the event, which will feature special appearances by celebrity dog lovers including Tim Allen, Cedric the Entertainer, Cheri Oteri, George Lopez, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Bublé, Nikki Glaser, Paula Abdul and Will Reeve. A pig will sing the national anthem during the event and cats will DJ. Meet this year's K-9 lineup and find out how to watch the NHL Stanley Pup. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. Ranking: Here are USA TODAY's Best Veterinary Hospitals in 2025 When is the 2025 Stanley Pup? Stanely Pup will premiere in the U.S. on June 6 on TruTV at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT. The 90-minute event will also be available to watch on the NHL Network and across the NHL's digital platforms at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT on June 8. Watch 2025 Stanley Cup Final on Sling Meet the 2025 Stanley Pup participants NHL rescue dogs, all available for adoption, compete in the 2025 Stanley Pup 32 adorable rescue puppies representing each NHL team will compete in the 2025 Stanley Pup, airing June 6 on TruTV and Sportsnet! "All 32 NHL teams will be represented by a four-legged friend, many of which will be available for adoption from a shelter or rescue group in their respective city," NHL said in a press release. NHL players including Anaheim Ducks' Troy Terry, Carolina Hurricanes' Jaccob Slavin, Florida Panthers' Sam Bennett, Utah Mammoth's Alexander Kerfoot and former NHL player David Backes will introduce participating dogs in support of local pet adoption in their cities. Sidney Pawsby, Dustin Woof, Filip Fursburg and Taylor Howl among other dog players will get the chance to "showcase their adorable canine skills on ice" during the event, NHL said. Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@ and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.


Forbes
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
NHL's 2025 ‘Stanley Pup' Rescue Dog Competition To Air In June
A scene from the NHL's 2024 Stanley Pup. The National Hockey League is bringing back its 'Stanley Pup' competition featuring rescue dogs in time for the 2025 Stanley Cup Final in June. The NHL held its inaugural Stanley Pup rescue dog competition in 2024. The event is similar to the annual Puppy Bowl, which airs the same day as the NFL's Super Bowl. 'We were thrilled with the success of the first-ever 'Stanley Pup' in 2024 and because of the amazing response from audiences watching at home, the NHL is excited to bring it back this season with even more rescue dogs,' said the NHL's President of Content & Events Steve Mayer in a statement. 'We love being able to support great causes and knowing that even more participating dogs will find permanent homes this year is very fulfilling for the league,' Mayer added. 'We can't wait to see what fun this year's friendly competition brings as the 'players' hit the Stanley Pup rink.' The 2025 Stanley Pup will feature special appearances by celebrity dog lovers, including Anthony Anderson, Cedric the Entertainer, Cheri Oteri, George Lopez, Jamie Lee Curtis, Joel McHale, Michael Bublé, Nikki Glaser, Paula Abdul and Will Reeve. According to the NHL, the 2025 Stanley Cup competition — which runs 90 minutes —will air on Friday, June 6, on TruTV at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT in the U.S. and Saturday, June 7, on Sportsnet at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT in Canada. The Stanley Pup will also air on NHL Network on Sunday, June 8, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT and will stream on the NHL's digital platforms. Actor Mark Shunock and sports commentator Chris Rose will be doing color and play-by-play commentary for the 2025 Stanley Pup, while New York Rangers sports host and reporter Michelle Gingras will be reporting from rinkside. A view of the NHL Stanley Pup rink. According to the league, all 32 NHL teams will be represented by a dog at the 2025 Stanley Pup, and many of them will be available for adoption from a shelter or rescue group in their respective cities. The 2025 Stanley Pup will also feature NHL players Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Jaccob Slavin of the Carolina Hurricanes, Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers, Alexander Kerfoot of the Utah Mammoth and Brandon Duhaime and Ryan Leonard of the Washington Capitals. The players will be introducing participating dogs in the Stanley Pup in 'support of local pet adoption in their cities,' per the NHL. The Stanley Pup is executive produced for NHL Productions by Michael Levitt (American Rescue Dog Show, Fox's Cause for Paws and All-Star Dog Rescue Celebration), NHL Group Vice President, Production & Creative Development Matt Nicholson and Steve Mayer. The national nonprofit organization Petco Love is providing the dogs in the competition through their shelter partners across the U.S., while BISSELL and Blue Buffalo are aboard as the event's sponsors. 'Stanley Pup is a joyful reminder that all-star pets can be adopted from your local shelter,' Petco Love President Susanne Kogut said in a statement. 'Adopting a pet is like scoring the game-winning goal — one moment of heart, and you've changed a life forever. We're proud to team up with the NHL to spotlight shelter pets across the country.' The 2024 Stanley Pup featured such canine players as Sergei Bobruffsky, Connor McDoodle and Alex Ofetchkin. The 2025 Stanley Pup will air on June 6 on TruTV at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT in the U.S. on June 7 on Sportsnet at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT in Canada and on June 8 on the NHL Network and stream on the NHL's digital platforms at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.


Boston Globe
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
We had a behind-the-scenes look at the NHL draft lottery. Here's how it went down.
Advertisement The two losses, on a night the Bruins could have secured the No. 1 pick for the first time since 1997, now will have the Black & Gold positioned to go No. 7 for the first time since 2000, when they swung and missed on Lars Jonsson, a Swedish defenseman. Jonsson never suited up for the Bruins, his NHL career totaling only the half-dozen games he logged for the Flyers in 2006-07. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up In the broader picture, the lottery, broadcast live for the first time, delivered as the league desired: with suspense and drama. The Islanders, who had but a 3.5 percent chance of winning the draft, clinched it on the night's opening draw, moving up from the No. 10 spot. Utah then followed by winning the second draw of the Ping-Pong balls, moving up from its No. 14 position. Advertisement 'Some excitement, right?' said a beaming Steve Mayer, the league's executive vice president and chief content officer. 'And with a payoff, too.' Related : For the league, that payoff came in the form of the two dark horses, the Isles and the second-year UHC each moving up 10 spots in the draft order. To that point, it could not have been better scripted as a TV event aimed at drawing in more viewers and getting them to buy into the ride. 'And let's be clear,' said a smiling Gary Bettman, the NHL commissioner, speaking to a couple of reporters after the lottery, 'we didn't script anything … and we've never scripted anything.' In an age when there's a potential conspiracy out there to find roost in any pro sports league's practices, good luck to anyone attempting to claim a fix around the NHL's complex draft process. Fourteen balls, numbered 1-14, swirled around a machine in an air-blown scramble and four of the balls were ejected in 30-second intervals. There were 1,001 possible four-digit combinations, with each of the league's 16 non-playoff clubs assigned varying shares of those combinations. The Bruins had 85 of the 1,001 combinations, thus entering with an 8.5 percent chance of winning. At Mayer's suggestion, the league for the first time this year showed how the odds changed for each team as each of the four balls were drawn. In the first draw, the Bruins were out of the mix after the first three balls were drawn – numbers 7, 11, and 12. None of their four combos included No. 11. Advertisement NHL executive VP and chief content officer Steve Mayer (center) directed league officials, including commissioner Gary Bettman (second from left) and deputy commissioner Bill Daly (far right) at the 2025 NHL draft lottery in New Jersey. Kevin Paul Dupont Then came the fourth ball. 'The moment of truth!,' said ESPN's John Buccigross, the draft lottery's host, as the balls swirled around prior to the last one. ' 'It's number 13,' said Bettman, standing aside the lottery machine, roughly the size of a large coffee urn. 'Holy schnikees,' exhorted Buccigros, who was aware, like the viewing audience, that lucky 13 clinched it for the Isles. But it was left to Billy Daly, the league's deputy commissioner, to make it official. While Daly awaited the accountant's final confirmation, Buccigross added, 'Out of nowhere … from about center ice …' Related : 'The winner,' Daly finally chimed in … 'belongs to the New York Islanders." 'Do you believe in miracles … Kenny Morrow?!' Buccigross immediately said, cameras then turning to an exuberant Morrow, who represented the winning Islanders. 'And that look [of joy] from Kenny says it all!' A member of the USA 'Miracle' team that won the 1980 Olympic gold medal at Lake Placid, Morrow also won four Cups, from 1980 to 1983, as an Islanders blueliner. On this night, he represented the Islanders, who only recently fired Lou Lamoriello as their general manager. 'Incredible … I guess it's lucky No. 13 now, right?' said an enthused Morrow, speaking to NHL Network via Zoom. 'The hockey gods smiled on us. I can't tell you how thrilled I am for our Islanders fans, our ownership, for the entire Islander organization.' It's the fifth time, dating back to 1972, that the Islanders have owned the No. 1 pick. They chose Billy Harris at No. 1 in '72, followed a year later with Hall of Fame blueliner Denis Potvin. They picked Boston University goalie Rick DiPietro No. 1 in 2000 and franchise forward John Tavares (now with Toronto) in 2009. Advertisement In part because the show was broadcast live for a first time, the NHL staged upward of 10 full rehearsals across the weekend and Monday, though Bettman himself participated solely in the Monday rehearsals. Approximately a half-hour prior to air time, a Globe reporter asked Bettman if the live TV element concerned him. 'Youuuuuu betcha,' he said with an anxious smile, drawing laughs from those around Bettman, including his lieutenant, Mayer. But overall, it was a night that went off without an error, ultimately with that 'payoff', as noted by Mayer. A payoff with potential big dividends for Elmont, NY, and for Salt Lake City, Utah. Not necessarily so much for the Hub of Hockey. Kevin Paul Dupont can be reached at


Time of India
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
NHL Draft Lottery Live for the First Time in 30 Years: Watch the Excitement Unfold
In the 30-year history of the NHL, it is for the first time that fans can tune in to watch the NHL Draft Lottery , which will be on a live broadcast. The NHL fandom can watch the order of the top 16 teams in the draft, the live event will be instrumental in deciding the No. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 1 pick in the draft. NHL Draft Lottery to be held on Live TV, Steve Mayer shares details This year, the NHL Draft Lottery has decided to go one step further and introduce the much-anticipated event on live television. Fans can now watch the on 5th May, at 7 pm ET on ESPN, Sportsnet, TVAS and live stream. The event will be held in the NHL Network 's Studio in Secaucus, New Jersey. Speaking about the headliner event, the President of Content & Events, Steve Mayer, said, "There will be anticipation like you've never seen in a draft lottery, and I truly believe we're the first ones in any league to try this. We're always looking to be innovative -- and not innovative for the sake of doing it. We've really thought this through and think it's going to be really compelling for our fans." While elaborating on the format of the draft, Mayer shared, "We go from 16 to 1. We build the drama. Who's it going to be?" He further added, "It's so nerve-wracking as one ball comes out after the other. There are these sheets of paper with every combination possible, and the team associated with every combination. There are 1,000 combinations. Along with everybody else in the room, you're quickly trying to look up who has a chance. He continued, "And going into the final ball, you're able to locate who has that chance, and you wait with such anticipation for that last ball to come out. And that's the moment. There's a hush." Building up the tension, Mayer shared, "There is some risk that if we draw the same team as we drew the first time, we have a redraw. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now These are the things that we anticipate, we get, and we'll leave time for. We'll live and learn a little bit." He also added, "But at the same time, we do think that this is going to be really cool, and everything we do is with our fans in mind and just giving them something a bit more compelling. We're not afraid to try things, and in this case, we just think that people will like it." Also Read: For the event, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman will preside over the draw, which will be overseen by Ernst & Young. The NHL Deputy Commissioner, Bill Daly, will be revealing the order of selection.


New York Times
01-03-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
NHL Stadium Series: Ohio State alums take the stage, but there's disappointment for Sillinger
COLUMBUS, Ohio — One of the first major details the NHL tries to secure when an outdoor game takes shape is the musical acts. Since NHL executive Steve Mayer has been fascinated by staging a game in Ohio Stadium for years, he knew exactly who he wanted. The Columbus Blue Jackets are hosting the Detroit Red Wings in a Stadium Series game on Saturday, and the event will be started and highlighted by two major recording acts with strong ties to both Columbus and Ohio State University: O.A.R. and Twenty One Pilots. Advertisement 'Nine out of 10 times, we fail to get the bands we want, because it's tough, with touring and scheduling,' said Mayer, the league's president of content and events. 'In this case, we wanted two bands, and we got 'em both. That's unheard of, and that's really cool. 'They are as excited as any musical acts we've ever had perform. They freakin' love the Blue Jackets. They're also huge hockey fans in general, so this is great.' Members of both bands are frequently spotted in Nationwide Arena for Blue Jackets games. O.A.R., whose five members all attended Ohio State in the late 1990s, is playing at the preagame pep rally at Ohio State's St. John Arena, just a few hundred steps from Ohio Stadium. The Blue Jackets players will arrive at the pep rally to hear a work-up between O.A.R. and the Ohio State Athletic Band, then walk to Ohio Stadium, just as the Ohio State football team does on home-game Saturdays. the Columbus Blue Jackets invited us to join them as the NHL Stadium Series visits our hometown @BlueJacketsNHL — twenty one pilots (@twentyonepilots) February 28, 2025 Twenty One Pilots is comprised of Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun, who are both from Columbus. Joseph attended Ohio State. They flew home in the middle of a world tour — they were in Mexico just a couple of days ago — to play a first-intermission set. Judging by their soundcheck on Saturday after the Blue Jackets and Red Wings practiced in Ohio Stadium, it's going to be a raucous set, with both fire and fireworks. The Athletic had a quick email exchange with Dun on Friday. Here was the conversation: You guys have played all over the world in some pretty amazing places. What is this gig going to be like? Given the unique nature of this performance, it will be a lot of fun for a few reasons. We're in the middle of a world tour, which has been incredible, but there's nothing like being back in our hometown. Also, it's always fun to be part of a sports event because Tyler and I are competitive people at our core. We're so excited to be playing in Columbus, especially at such an iconic venue. Advertisement As long as you've lived in Columbus, did you ever dream of playing Ohio Stadium? I remember being a teenager and feeling like playing the Newport Music Hall on (Ohio State's) campus would be the pinnacle. I don't know if I really knew how to dream beyond that. As time has gone on and we've played a lot of shows, the idea of the Ohio Stadium has been intriguing. It feels weird to think back to the time that the Newport was the biggest we could dream, and now feeling like someday playing our own show at the Ohio Stadium could be a reality. How did this come together with the NHL? It was a bit like a formality. Before this conversation started, we already had a relationship with the Blue Jackets and the university. The NHL (executive) team came to the show when we played in New York City last year. Everyone walked us through the vision of the night … when you hear that you realize that it's one of those moments that was almost too obvious. We love Columbus, and it really is an honor to be a part of a night that will go down in Columbus, Ohio, history. How long is your set? And how difficult is it to put together given the time constraints of intermission? We'll be playing in between periods at the hockey game, so I think total play time will be somewhere around eight minutes — which is actually not the shortest set we've ever done. Our first show we played together, the cops came and shut down the music due to curfew after one song. So at least we'll be playing longer than that. We're gonna try and get as much music into that time as we can — it's gonna be fun. He was the Blue Jackets' first star player. He was, during many seasons, the Blue Jackets' singular standout, scoring goals in bunches even as the franchise struggled. His sweater number (61) is the only number retired by the Blue Jackets. This week, as the NHL has worked to give the Blue Jackets their biggest stage yet — 90,000 are expected at tonight's game, and the game will be broadcasted all over the world — we've wanted to know: What's Rick Nash, now the Blue Jackets' director of hockey operations, thinking? Advertisement 'I've always hoped this day would come for us, especially after playing in (three outdoor games) with (the New York Rangers) and knowing how perfect a setup Ohio Stadium would be, just how close the fans are to the football field there. 'Walking around the stadium (on Friday) … it was a proud moment, seeing the whole hockey world in Columbus for an event that's hosted by the Blue Jackets.' Nash, while playing for the Rangers, played two Stadium Series games in February 2014, facing the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders, both in Yankee Stadium. Four years later, the Rangers played the Buffalo Sabres in a Winter Classic game in Citi Field, home to the New York Mets. The Rangers are Original 6 members, one of the NHL's iconic clubs. They need no elevating. Nash was asked what this game, this stage, can mean to the Blue Jackets. The game will air on ESPN and be broadcast to roughly 200 countries worldwide. 'I feel like in the United States right now, with all of the buzz coming out of the 4 Nations Face-Off … there's a lot of interest in hockey and the NHL right now,' Nash said. 'And to have all eyes on Columbus right now, in this moment, is huge, especially with the way the two teams are playing,: 'I think I speak for a lot of people in the organization and the city in saying that I'm really proud of this group of players and how they've come together this season through a lot of adversity. And I'm really happy for them that they get to experience this with our city. It's so great.' An experience of a lifetime ❤️#StadiumSeries | #CBJ — Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) March 1, 2025 Blue Jackets center Cole Sillinger was injured in the first period of Thursday's 5-2 win in Detroit, and coach Dean Evason confirmed after Friday's practice that he will not be able to play in Saturday's game. 'I'll say this, it wasn't as bad as we were thinking it was,' Evason said. 'But he's definitely not in our lineup tomorrow night.' Advertisement That's a tough blow for the Blue Jackets, as Sillinger was centering the No. 2 line. But it's also a tough blow for Sillinger, who has emerged — even as a 21-year-old — as one of the Blue Jackets' young leaders. The Blue Jackets will also be without center Sean Monahan, winger Yegor Chinakhov and defenseman Erik Gudbranson. '(Sillinger's) is probably the toughest one,' Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski said. 'The other guys probably had an idea they weren't going to play in this one a couple of months ago, which is still tough to swallow. But for Silly to come so close, come one game away … it's unfortunate, that's for sure. 'I talked to him today. He has a great mindset about it. He's a guy who gets it, who understands. We definitely feel for him, but he's got the right attitude.' The Blue Jackets recalled forward Mikael Pyyhtia from AHL Cleveland on Friday. • Werenski and Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin grew up playing hockey together in Michigan. Werenski has said they first met when he was 8 years old. But that friendship hits pause whenever they play. During the Blue Jackets' family skate on Friday, Larkin and other Red Wings were warming up with a soccer ball near the rink. Here's Werenski: 'My fiancee (Odette Peters) was like, 'Should we go say hi to him?' I was like, 'No, no, no. We're not doing that. We hate these guys until the game is over.' We're going to battle, we're going to play hard, and after the game I'll give him a hug and we'll talk about it.' • The Blue Jackets and Red Wings both enter today's game with 66 points. The Red Wings own the first wild-card playoff spot, and the Blue Jackets the second, because the Wings have more regulation wins. It marks the third time in the NHL's 43 outdoor games that the two opponents are tied in points. In 2014, Toronto and Detroit were tied (45 points) when they played in a Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium. Two months later, Pittsburgh and Chicago were tied (84 points) when they played a Stadium Series game in Soldier Field. Advertisement • Mayer confirmed to Dave Maetzold of FanDuel Sports Networks that the Ohio State Athletic Band will form script Ohio on the ice at some point tonight. Who dots the I? • ESPN's Sean McDonough will handle play-by-play, with Ray Ferraro serving as analyst between the benches. But Blue Jackets TV play-by-play voice Steve Mears will still work the game, serving as the play-by-play voice of the NHL's international feed, along with former NHLer Brian Boyle. This will be Mears' seventh outdoor game in the broadcast booth. (Photo of Twenty One Pilots' Josh Dun and Tyler Joseph at a Dec. 2024 concert: Scott Eisen / Getty Images)