More All-Star Game intrigue

By Brian LeBlanc
NCSportsTalk.com - Puck Drops
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A few more nuggets of intrigue tonight with regards to a potential All-Star Game announcement.

Signs are pointing to Thursday as the day on which an announcement will be made.  A source with knowledge of the situation tells NCSportsTalk.com tonight that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman will be in Raleigh on Thursday, and since he made his annual visit to the RBC Center before the Olympics one would think that a second trip to the Triangle has a purpose and isn't just for showing up in town for the Canes' home finale.

As you may have heard on tonight's radio broadcast, Chuck Kaiton announced during the first period that the Canes had "a big announcement, and you know what it is" planned for Thursday.  It's highly doubtful that the Canes will be announcing an All-Star Game in Pittsburgh, no?

If Thursday is indeed the day that the Canes announce that the All-Star Game is coming to town, it's a great move on two fronts.  First, the Canes will have the opportunity to celebrate the fulfillment of Bettman's promise from ten years ago with their fans at what's sure to be a raucous RBC Center for the home finale. Also, the announcement will be coming on game day against a Canadian team, meaning there will be a good number of cameras from north of the 49th parallel in town for the game and present to get the Canes some great PR in Canada.

Still no official word from the Canes, and there's still no word from anywhere on what year an All-Star Game (if any, a necessary if too-careful caveat) will be awarded, but if gambling were legal you could easily be forgiven for putting some money on the "big announcement" indeed being what we've all thought it would be.