Wynn Magazine - Las Vegas
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/63192
WYNN HAPPENINGS their bows at the NHL Awards at Encore. BY JOHN VILANOVA Hockey's leading men are ready to take THE ICEMEN COMETH T 130 WYNN rading their jerseys, skates, and sticks for suits, dress shoes, and cocktails, the stars of the National Hockey League will glide into the Encore Theater on Wednesday, June 20, for the annual end-of-season awards show. While other sports leagues tend to treat their season-ending honors as an afterthought, the NHL embraces the spectacle by including historic trophies and rich traditions that in many cases go back more than 100 years. "The awards are really a celebration of the entire year," Hall of Famer Mark Messier explains. "Players are singled out because of the efforts and contributions they've made to their team, the league, or charities." IMG's Steve Mayer, the event's executive producer, believes that hockey's unique marriage of tradition and spectacle makes the show stand out. "The NHL Awards were the first in a setting that feels as much entertainment as it does reverential," he says. "These are the awards and it's a big deal for the players." "It's a way to identify some special moments and special efforts," says Messier, a six-time Stanley Cup champion and two-time NHL Most Valuable Player who retired in 2004. "The awards have always been a ceremonial tradition. It's a big moment." Throughout the evening, the NHL will honor the Stanley Cup champions and present its best players with individual awards such as the Hart Memorial Trophy, for the league's most valuable player, and the Vezina Trophy, for the top goaltender. The event also celebrates players making an impact off the ice with honors such as a leadership award named for Messier. "I think it's so important that the play- ers are conducting and carrying themselves in a professional manner, making right decisions, reaching out into the commu- nity, and at the same time being great teammates," says Messier, one of hockey's greatest leaders during his 25-year NHL career. This year's festivities feature an expanded events program at Wynn, including a charity golf tournament at the Wynn Golf Club, pre-parties at Surrender Nightclub and Encore Beach Club on Tuesday evening, and a red-carpet procession extending from XS into the Encore Theater clockwise from top right: At the 2010 NHL Awards, Sidney Crosby receives the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award from Messier; Jon Hamm and Jennifer Beals were two of the evening's celebrity presenters last year; the Bill Masterson Memorial Trophy for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. on awards night. "Vegas is the best place for the awards show," says Don Renzulli, the NHL's senior vice president of events. "We are all very excited that the awards will be at Wynn this year." Adds Messier, a self-proclaimed foodie, "Experiencing the cuisine there is incredible. It's a tremendous place." In recent years, the NHL has placed an emphasis on building up its event packages. Mayer and IMG, who were behind the All-Star weekend festivities in Ottawa this past January that featured a perfor- mance by Canadian rapper Drake, are eager to help the league celebrate a successful year. "It's the culmination of a long, hard-fought season and the players really take part in it," Renzulli says. The NHL has also worked to grow its brand with the outdoor Winter Classic on New Year's Day and more nationally televised games on NBC Sports Network. In addition, the HBO documentary series 24/7 has helped fans get to know their favorite players in a more intimate way. Messier believes the awards show will achieve a similar success. "I think the biggest thing you see in the way that they've designed the show is that you get to see the personalities of the players," he says. "So often you get to see the players with their game faces on. I think it's a chance for the casual fan to see these young gentlemen in a different light. The NHL has done a great job of really exploring our players both as individuals and as players on their teams. It's really brought attention to our game, more so than ever." The show will also include celebrity guests, musical performances, and other surprises. Mayer promises the program will appeal to both new hockey fans and those on the edge of their seats to see who will win the iconic tro- phies. "What we plan to do is hand out these awards in an entertaining fashion," he says. "There are some great awards and great stories to tell." ■ PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRUCE BENNETT/GETTY IMAGES (MESSIER); ETHAN MILLER/GETTY IMAGES (HAMM, BEALS); JEFF GROSS/GETTY IMAGES (TROPHY)