Saturday evening, the National Hockey League, the Dallas Stars, and Dallas mayor Mike Rawlings came together and announced that the Dallas Stars would be hosting the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. The event will take place during the weekend of Friday, June 22nd, 2018. The Draft and fan festivities will be held at the American Airlines Center- home of the Stars.
The Dallas Stars will host the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center from June 22-23! pic.twitter.com/xqjfo908ll
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) July 30, 2017
Dallas Stars Host 2018 NHL Draft
The first round of the 2018 NHL Draft will be held on Friday, June 22nd. Rounds two-through-seven will be held on Saturday, the 23rd. The weekend will also be full of fun events for fans. This marks the first time ever that the NHL Draft will be held in Dallas. The Stars are celebrating their 25th anniversary during the 2017-18 season.
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“The first Draft of the NHL’s second century will be the first at which players who were born in the year 2000 will be eligible for selection,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a press release to NHL.com. “Tomorrow’s NHL stars will skate into the spotlight when the 2018 NHL Draft brings the NHL family together at American Airlines Center in Dallas.”
“The Stars organization is honored to host the 2018 NHL Draft during our 25th Anniversary season in Dallas,” Dallas Stars owner and governor Tom Gaglardi added in the press release. “Since our team moved to North Texas prior to the 1993-1994 season, we have been embraced by the community from day one and are lucky to have one of the most passionate fan bases in the NHL. Over the past 25 years, we have seen the tremendous growth of our sport through youth hockey programs, community involvement and grassroots efforts in the greater Southwest region. The 2018 NHL Draft will serve as a showcase for the next generation of international NHL talent and celebrate the success of hockey in the state of Texas.”
“On behalf of the city of Dallas, thank you to Commissioner Gary Bettman and the National Hockey League for selecting our city to host the 2018 NHL Draft,” Dallas mayor Mike Rawlings added. “The Draft will generate an estimated $14 million in economic impact as we welcome fans from all 31 NHL clubs, members of the hockey community and potential draftees and their families from countries around the world. Our city being granted this honor is yet another example of how Dallas continues to be one of the most sought after locations to host first-class events.”
Last Season
Last season, the Stars finished sixth (out of seven teams) in the Central Division. They had a record of 34-37-11 and 79 total points. They failed to make postseason contention as well. However, Dallas has had quite a strong and impressive off-season. General manager Jim Nill picked Martin Hanzal, Ben Bishop, Marc Methot, and Alexander Radulov. The team will be looking to have a strong 2017-18 NHL season. As mentioned previously, this upcoming season marks the 25th anniversary of the organization. The team and city of Dallas will be hosting special events all season long. The 2018 Draft is sure to be a great weekend for fans and executives; as well as the players who will see their dreams come true and be drafted by NHL teams.
Main Photo:
CHICAGO, IL – JUNE 23: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman smiles prior to the first round of the 2017 NHL Draft on June 23, 2017, at the United Center, in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Patrick Gorski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
