NHL All-Star Weekend: ‘Vice’ Jerseys, Local Events and Alligators?

By now, you all know that the NHL All-Star Weekend is coming to South Florida next month and that players will be wearing ‘Vice’ themed jerseys.

On Thursday, two of the game jerseys were leaked online before being unveiled on ESPN later that night.

They look just like we thought they would down to the retro NHL logo on the yoke.

As it stands right now, the host Panthers will only have one player represented as no one was voted in to join Matthew Tkachuk.

The league also officially released some of the events which will be going on around town — from the Fan Festival on Fort Lauderdale Beach to events in Coral Springs, Sunrise and, well, Fort Lauderdale Beach.

The NHL has yet to announce what special events will be held at the Skills Competition on Friday, Feb. 3, so we don’t know for sure whether alligator targets, dunk tanks or a Caddy Day tournament will be included.

It seems more and more likely alligators will be involved.

Seriously.

We continue to hear the NHL is working with Everglades Holiday Park for some sort of event involving frozen hamburger pucks and the monsters being taken care of there.

Stay tuned.

Here is a list of the official events — although there will be plenty of events orbiting around All-Star Weekend and we’ll let you know about them when they are announced.

Per the league, the All-Star jerseys will be available at numerous places including adidas.com, adidas.ca, NHLShop.com, NHLShop.ca and the NHL Shop NYC at Manhattan West starting on Jan. 20.

We assume you can get them at the arena in Sunrise as well, but one never knows.

Graphic courtesy @NHL

Florida Panthers FTL Beach Sweep; Sunday, Jan. 29: Here is a nice way to help clean up Fort Lauderdale Beach “and promote environmental awareness for the coastal community. Fans and community members are welcome to join this volunteer effort that will begin at 9 a.m. Click here to sign up and receive more information.”

City of Sunrise & Florida Panthers Hockey Festival; Tuesday: This event combines street hockey clinics, hockey appearances, food trucks, photo ops with the Stanley Cup — and probably Stanley C. Panther as well — from 5:30-8 p.m. at Flamingo Park.

Those interested in the on-site street hockey clinic (for children up to age 14) can click here to sign up. This event is open to the public.

NOTE — No parking will be available at Flamingo Park so everyone has to park at the arena and take the free shuttles to the event.

Or Uber.

Coral Springs Hockey Festival and Alumni Game; Wednesday: This should be a good one. Yeah, there will be more food trucks and more appearances starting outside the IceDen at 5 p.m.

At 8, there will be a game between the Panthers’ alums and NHL Alumni. Per the Panthers, “all ticket proceeds from the event will benefit the Florida Panthers Foundation. Tickets will be limited to witness the Alumni Game. Stay tuned for information on how to purchase.”

The Coral Springs festival is free and open to the public. Click here to RSVP and learn more about it. The IceDen will also “host three on-ice clinics (Learn to Skate, Public Skate and Girls Try Hockey for Free) on Feb. 1.”

Those interested in registering for any clinic can visit PanthersIceDen.com.

NHL All-Star Beach Festival, Fort Lauderdale Beach Park; Thursday-Saturday: This will be the NHL FanFest and it will be near the water instead of staged on the arena outdoor concourse as it was in 2003.

The Beach Festival opens at noon on Thursday (12-8 p.m.), with varying hours on Friday (10-6) and Saturday (10-6).

There will be a NHL player Red Carpet event held here on Friday from 3-4 with the Skills Competition taking place at 7-10 p.m. in Sunrise.

More on this free event were released Friday and we will have the complete rundown tomorrow morning.

The NHL will also hold one of the skills events on the beach and it will be open to the viewing public.

NHL Skills Competition, FLA Live Arena; Friday: Doors open at the arena at 5 p.m. with the competition starting at 7 sharp.

Who are we kidding? It will start a little later than that.

Saturday Sweat; Holiday Park, Fort Lauderdale: This event will be held at Holiday Park in Fort Lauderdale — not the one in the Everglades with the gators and such — near the team’s soon-to-be-completed training facility at War Memorial.

”These fitness classes are open to the public and encourage healthy lifestyles for all ages. Classes will include HIIT Bootcamp, Soca Step Class, Neo Soul Yoga, Kids Cardio & Yoga and feature top fitness instructors, live DJ Spinning music such as R&B, Soca, and Afrobeat, small business and minority-owned fitness and wellness vendors and more.”

NHL All-Star Game; FLA Live Arena, Saturday: Doors open for the crown jewel of the weekend at 1 p.m. with the event scheduled to run from 3-6 p.m. Should be a hoot.

Meet the Mascots Breakfast, FLA Live Arena; Sunday, Feb. 5: Mascots from around the NHL — including the two from Florida — will meet and greet over breakfast. We’ll all need some coffee after this one.

The Panthers will announce tickets and the like for this later. 

PANTHERS ON DECK

MINNESOTA WILD AT FLORIDA PANTHERS 

• When: Saturday, 6 p.m.
• Where: FLA Live Arena, Sunrise
• TV/Streaming: Bally Sports Florida, ESPN+
• Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932
• Last season: Florida won 2-0
• All-time regular season series: Minnesota leads 18-8-2, 1 tie
• Up Next for the Panthers: Monday at New York Rangers, 7 p.m.