"This year, the pairing of the NHL Awards with the NHL Expansion Draft required a host with an equal balance of enthusiasm, energy and appreciation for the game, and we found that in Joe," said NHL Chief Content Officer and Executive Vice President Steve Mayer. "With Joe at the helm of the NHL Awards show and Daren and Kathryn sharing the stage for the NHL Expansion Draft, this unique event will offer an enjoyable mix of entertainment and hockey content.
"I'm incredibly honored and excited to be sharing a stage with so many all-time and current NHL superstars to celebrate the greatest players in the game today," said Manganiello.
The 2017 NHL Awards™ will honor the top individual regular-season performances in a wide range of categories, including most valuable player (Hart Trophy), outstanding goaltender (Vezina Trophy), outstanding defenseman (Norris Trophy) and outstanding rookie (Calder Trophy). The Ted Lindsay Award, which is presented annually to the "most outstanding player" in the NHL as voted by fellow members of the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA), also will be awarded.
Tickets to the 2017 NHL Awards™ and NHL Expansion Draft™ presented by T-Mobile are available at
NHL.com/awards
.
NHL Network™, NHL.com and NHL Social™ will provide comprehensive coverage of the 2017 NHL Awards™ and NHL Expansion Draft™ presented by T-Mobile and Magenta Carpet arrivals. Fans can follow the action on Twitter (@NHL), Instagram (@NHL), Facebook and Snapchat ('nhl') with the official hashtag #NHLAwards.
About Joe Manganiello
A native of Pittsburgh, Manganiello has flexed his acting muscles in a diverse mix of film, television and theater projects, including HBO's critically acclaimed series "True Blood"; the Netflix comedy, PEE WEE'S BIG HOLIDAY and as the voice of the heroic and lovable 'Hefty Smurf' in SMURFS: THE LOST VILLAGE. Manganiello will next star in New Line's RAMPAGE, opposite Dwayne Johnson, based on the 1980s video game.
A graduate of The Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama in Pittsburgh, Manganiello worked alongside Channing Tatum in Steven Soderbergh's Warner Bros. cultural phenomenon, MAGIC MIKE and its sequel, MAGIC MIKE XXL. As a result of his research for the role, he decided to move behind the camera to self-finance and direct the documentary LA BARE earning him the Triple Threat Award at the 2014 Maui International Film Festival.
