NHLPA/CBC?S HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA PLAYER POLL RESULTS RELEASED

TORONTO (February 19, 2012) – The National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) and CBC’S HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA  today will release the results from the NHLPA/CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada Player Poll. Results can be viewed at www.PlayersPoll.ca.

On tonight’s CBC’S HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA coverage of the New Jersey Devils at Montreal Canadiens game at 6:00 PM ET, the Player Poll will be discussed and the final three results will be revealed: the Players’ choice for the current NHL player they would select to start a franchise; whether fighting should be banned; and the Canadian city that most deserves an NHL team.

The second-annual NHLPA/CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada Player Poll surveyed NHLPA members on a wide range of topics around the game, with 257 NHL players participating in the poll. A few of the results include:

• Pavel Datsyuk was voted in the top spot for six different results, including the smartest player and the hardest to take the puck from
• Marian Gaborik was again voted by his peers as the best skater, as well as the fastest
• Patrice Bergeron earned the nod from the players as the most underrated, while his teammate Zdeno Chara was overwhelmingly voted the toughest defenceman to play against; meanwhile, Milan Lucic earned the top spot for toughest player, narrowly edging out teammates Chara and Shawn Thornton
• Henrik Lundqvist was convincingly voted as the most difficult goalie to score on
• Nicklas Lidstrom was named the best role model, followed closely by Sidney Crosby

Players were polled on several other topics, including which player they would pick to start a franchise; the Canadian city they feel is most suited for an NHL team; cleanest player; both underrated and overrated teams; both fighting and the instigator; best referee; coach they would most like to play for; most demanding coach; assistant coach they think should be the next head coach; best and worst ice; and their favourite arena.

For complete NHLPA/CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada Player Poll results, including fan results on the same questions the players were asked, please visit www.PlayersPoll.ca, or go to www.nhlpa.com.