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Rumor time: Ottawa to host the 2012 All-Star Game?

Image (1) ottawasenators-logo-thumb-250x299-19845.gif for post 15208

Who doesn’t love a good, juicy rumor? No, I said rumor, not hamburger. Everyone loves a juicy hamburger too, so I guess that point is moot. Anyhow, there’s speculation out of Ottawa today that Gary Bettman is coming to town on September 15th to meet with Senators owner Eugene Melnyk and GM Bryan Murray. Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun seems to think he knows just what the commissioner is coming to town for.

League sources say Bettman could use the forum to confirm the Senators and City of Ottawa will host the NHL all-star weekend for the first time -- from Jan 26-29, 2012.

That would coincide with the 20th anniversary of the Senators’ re-entry into the league in 1992-93. In February, more than 25 teams made bids for the 2011-12 all-star weekends.

Obviously an announcement on where the All-Star Game in 2012 hasn’t been made, and the commissioner coming to town to talk over buttered scones and tea with the owner and GM doesn’t exactly happen all the time so something is up. With 25 teams apparently trying to land the game, that means virtually anyone has a shot at landing it.

Keep in mind that Phoenix lost out on hosting the All-Star Game in 2005 thanks to the season-long lockout and at some point they’re going to get the game back. Perhaps the NHL is hoping to have a new owner to show off before rewarding the game to Glendale.