NHL draft coming to Philly in 2014

By Sam Carchidi, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Posted: June 23, 2012

PITTSBURGH - Philadelphia is becoming the center of the hockey universe.

The NHL draft will be held at the Wells Fargo Center in 2014, the league announced Friday.

"It shows we're a hockey town and not just a Flyers town," said Peter Luukko, president of Comcast-Spectacor, the Flyers' parent company. ". . . It's a confirmation of where we've come as a hockey market."

Luukko estimated that the draft would pump about $30 million into the local economy.

"The hotels and restaurants will be full, and it brings people from all over the world." he said.

The Wells Fargo Center hosted the Stanley Cup Finals in 2010 and the Winter Classic last season. The Frozen Four will be there in 2014. And now the NHL draft is on the agenda.

The Flyers also are trying to lure an All-Star Game to Philly.

"We never met a special event we didn't like," Luukko said.

Luukko said the Philadelphia area has players in Canadian and U.S. juniors, prep schools, and colleges. "Hopefully, we'll have a couple people from the market who will be draft-eligible and be picked" in 2014, he said.

The draft will be free for those who want to attend, Luukko said.

The NHL also announced that the 2013 draft would be held at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Contact Sam Carchidi at scarchidi@phillynews.com or follow on Twitter @BroadStBull.

 

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