• Ottawa-Boston to play at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena on March 16 at 6:00 p.m. ET
• Toronto-Montréal to play at Pittsburgh’s PPG Paints Arena on March 17 at 12:30 p.m. ET

The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) will conduct “PWHL Takeover Weekend” March 16-17, playing three games in NHL venues across the two days. The announcement is made in partnership with the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins, with a schedule that includes PWHL Ottawa and PWHL Boston to play at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday, March 16, at 6:00 p.m. ET, and PWHL Toronto and PWHL Montréal to play at PPG Paints Arena on Sunday, March 17, at 12:30 p.m. ET. PWHL New York and PWHL Minnesota will play at Xcel Energy Center, home of the Minnesota Wild, on Saturday March 16 at 3:30 p.m. ET, announced as part of the league’s regular-season schedule launch.

“Bringing these games to three outstanding venues during Women’s History Month will create an unforgettable highlight of this inaugural PWHL season,” said Jayna Hefford, PWHL Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations. “For fans attending these games and players who are competing on the ice, this will be a great celebration of the advancement and opportunity for women and hockey everywhere.”

“We’re thrilled to partner with the PWHL, and to welcome Boston and Ottawa to Little Caesars Arena on March 16,” said Ryan Gustafson, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, Ilitch Sports + Entertainment. “It’s been exciting to see the early success of the PWHL, and we’re honored for the opportunity to put on a great event for our fans and support growing the game of hockey for young women.”

“We are thrilled to host the PWHL in Pittsburgh to celebrate the continued growth of women’s professional hockey,” said Kevin Acklin, Penguins President of Business Operations. “The entire Penguins organization is committed to championing the growth of our game, and we are excited to host the Montréal and Toronto women’s clubs in March at PPG Paints Arena to showcase their elite talents in front of our Penguins fan base.”

Tickets for Toronto-Montréal at PPG Paints Arena will go on sale to the public on February 9 at 2:00 p.m. ET and will be available via Ticketmaster. Tickets for Ottawa-Boston at Little Caesars Arena go on sale on February 13 at 4:00 p.m. ET via Ticketmaster. Fans can sign up online for the PWHL e-newsletter for priority access. Tickets for New York-Minnesota are on sale now.

On February 17, 2019, Little Caesars Arena hosted the third game of the inaugural Rivalry Series between the Canadian National Women’s Team and the U.S. National Women’s Team. Ten players from that game will return as members of the PWHL including Boston’s Hannah Brandt, Hilary Knight, Gigi Marvin, Sidney Morin, and Amanda Pelkey, who all competed as members of Team USA. Ottawa’s Savannah Harmon and Hayley Scamurra were also on Team USA, and Brianne Jenner, Emerance Maschmeyer, and Jamie Lee Rattray suited up for Canada. Jenner scored the winning goal in the 2-0 victory with a crowd of 9,048 in attendance. Of local interest, PWHL Boston’s Shiann Darkangelo (Brighton), Taylor Girard (Macomb), and Megan Keller (Farmington) are all Michigan natives.

On March 12, 2022, PPG Paints Arena hosted the “Rivalry Rematch” game, organized by the PWHPA in partnership with the Penguins, featuring members of the U.S. and Canadian National Women’s Teams following the Beijing Olympics. A total of 32 PWHL players were in the game, including Montréal’s Erin Ambrose, Mélodie Daoust, Ann-Renée Desbiens, Marie-Philip Poulin, and Laura Stacey, who all won 2022 Olympic gold with Canada. Toronto players who competed were Canadian Olympic gold medalists Kristen Campbell, Renata Fast, Jocelyne Larocque, Sarah Nurse, Natalie Spooner, and Blayre Turnbull. A total of 5,410 fans were in attendance to take in the action, with Team Canada defeating Team USA 3-2 on an overtime goal by Poulin. Last season, the Penguins partnered with the PWHPA and PHF to host events at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. Prior to the PWHL season, Montréal head coach Kori Cheverie served as a guest coach for Penguins development camp and training camp.

The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprised of six teams in Boston, Minnesota, Montréal, New York, Ottawa, and Toronto, each with rosters featuring the best women’s hockey players in the world. Visit thepwhl.com to purchase tickets and merchandise, and subscribe to the PWHL e-newsletter to receive the latest league updates. Follow the league on all social media platforms @thepwhlofficial plus all six team accounts @pwhl_boston, @pwhl_minnesota, @pwhl_montreal, @pwhl_newyork, @pwhl_ottawa, and @pwhl_toronto.

MotorCity Casino Hotel is excited to announce the hiring of John Alan DeSouza as Executive Chef. With an impressive 25-year journey in the Food and Beverage industry, Chef DeSouza brings a wealth of culinary expertise to MotorCity.

Prior to joining MotorCity Casino Hotel, Chef DeSouza served as Executive Chef at Sheraton Phoenix Downtown. His extensive background includes roles in five-star hotels, private country clubs, cruise lines, fine-dining restaurants, and large-volume catering.

In his new role, Chef DeSouza will spearhead MotorCity’s vast food operations, overseeing menu development, food production, and managing and mentoring kitchen staff. “I’m thrilled to join the MotorCity team and I look forward to crafting exceptional dining experiences for our guests,” said Chef DeSouza.

“MotorCity is lucky to have another talented leader in John, whose passion for culinary excellence perfectly aligns with our commitment to delivering best-in-class experiences for our guests,” said John Policicchio, General Manager of MotorCity Casino Hotel.

Chef DeSouza finished his culinary education at the Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality in Chur and Lucerne, Switzerland.

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The Tigers today announced the club’s Spring Training broadcast schedule for the 2024 Grapefruit League season. Six games will be televised on Bally Sports Detroit, while 18 contests will be aired on WXYT channels.

Bally Sports Detroit will televise six Spring Training games, including five from Lakeland and one simulcast of a road team feed (February 25 via Bally Sports Sun). WXYT will air 13 of its contests on 1270 AM and five on 97.1 The Ticket. In addition to watching via cable and radio, fans are encouraged to explore their streaming options to follow Tigers games, including MLB.tv, Bally Sports +, the Bally Sports App, MLB App and Audacy App. Several opposing team television and radio broadcasts of games may be available on the MLB App and MLB.tv in addition to the below schedule.

New Tigers television voice, Jason Benetti, will be on the call for four of the five Bally Sports Detroit broadcasts from Lakeland, while Dan Dickerson will be the play-by-play voice for the fifth. Analysts on the television broadcast will rotate as the crew prepares for the regular season. On radio this spring, Dan Dickerson will be joined by Craig Monroe for most broadcasts. The complete lineup of 2024 Bally Sports Detroit and 97.1 The Ticket broadcast teams has been determined and will be announced prior to Spring Training.

On March 16 at 1:05 PM, the Tigers will host a webstream of the inaugural MLB Spring Breakout game on Tigers.com. Spanning four days across Spring Training sites in Florida and Arizona, MLB Spring Breakout will showcase baseball’s future stars.  As part of the new initiative, each Major League club will field a team of their top prospects to play exhibition games against another club’s top prospects, while also creating in-park fan engagement opportunities centered around their up-and-coming players.

The 2024 spring season marks the club’s 88^th at the TigerTown complex in Lakeland, FL, extending the longest-standing relationship between a Major League team and current Spring Training host city. This spring also marks the franchise’s 59^th consecutive season of exhibition play at the state-of-the-art Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium.

Season tickets, flex plans and individual game tickets are on sale now for fans who want to enjoy Grapefruit League action at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. For more information or to purchase season tickets, fans can visit tigers.com/spring or call (863) 686-8075.

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With hundreds of events across six sports and entertainment venues, Ilitch Sports + Entertainment event colleagues play a critical role in amazing, inspiring and uniting millions of guests each year. These incredible colleagues work in a diverse array of roles, including ushers, security, parking, in-venue entertainment and much more. Their dedication to providing a tremendous guest experience shines through in all that they do.

Meet Denise Vandercook, Guest Communications Representative

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JoJo’s ShakeBAR, celebrated for its over-the-top shakes and inventive cocktails, introduces its Exclusive Valentine’s Day Specialty Menu, elevating the romantic dining experience for customers throughout the month of February.

• Love Shake: Highlighting the menu is the exquisite Love Shake—a red velvet raspberry shake adorned with a festive red and pink heart-shaped sugar cookie, a chocolate-covered strawberry, a sweet and salty chocolate-covered pretzel, and a decadent slice of cheesecake.

• Cupid’s Cocoa: Adding to the romantic ambiance, Cupid’s Cocoa presents a rich red velvet hot chocolate topped with toasted marshmallow fluff, a chocolate-covered s’more, a sprinkled heart-shaped marshmallow, and a chocolate-covered pretzel. Adults always have the options to make it boozy by adding Bailey’s.

• Red Velvet Baked Hot Chocolate: Connoisseurs of classic indulgence can enjoy the Red Velvet Baked Hot Chocolate, featuring a smooth red velvet cake served à la mode.

• Heart-Shaped Grilled Cheese: Complementing these delectable treats is the limited-time Heart-Shaped Grilled Cheese and Roasted Tomato Bisque, priced at just $12, available exclusively on weekdays through February 29.

JoJo’s ShakeBAR continues to raise the bar with enchanting cocktails, including Pretty in Pink—a captivating blend of Botanist Gin, St. Germain, Sparkling Rosé, and Grapefruit. Alternatively, the Princess Peach Mule, a refreshing Zero Proof Cocktail crafted with Ginger Beer, Peach, and Lime, provides a delightful non-alcoholic option. For a memorable sip, indulge in Margarita & Patron Sittin’ In A Tree-K-I-S-S-I-N-G!, featuring Strawberry, Passionfruit, Raspberry, and Peach Flavored Margaritas, elegantly presented on the iconic Margarita Tree.

“As a sweet gesture, customers can also share the love with JoJo’s Valentine’s Day Gifts, featuring a box of 4 jumbo Chocolate-Covered Strawberries, the Valentine’s Day Pretzel Box with heart-shaped sprinkles, or the Sweet & Sour Candy Jar,” said Robbie Schloss, Managing Partner of JoJo’s ShakeBAR.

To extend the celebration of love, JoJo’s ShakeBAR introduces the Fond Of U Experience, available throughout February for $39 per person. This charming package includes a choice of entree, a fondue set for the group, and the option to sip on either the Love Shake or Cupid’s Cocoa—an unforgettable dining experience perfect for sharing with a special someone.

For their Galentine’s Day Soiree, gather friends and indulge in a “Girl Dinner” for $35 per person, including cocktails and shared appetizers such as mozzarella sticks, onion rings, and JoJo’s Fries.

Adding a touch of mixology to the festivities, JoJo’s Love On The Rocks Mixology Class offers two alluring cocktails—Crazy, Sexy, Cool, and Smokin’ Hot Blonde. Priced at $35 per person, guests can savor these romantic concoctions and enjoy a 20% discount on delectable food offerings.

JoJo’s ShakeBAR invites customers to celebrate love, friendship, and unforgettable moments throughout February. JoJo’s ShakeBAR is located at The District Detroit, 88 W Columbia St, Detroit, MI 48201. For more information about the above events please follow @jojosshakebar or visit https://www.jojosshakebar.com/.

Hundreds of students at Detroit’s New Paradigm Glazer Academy recently got some encouragement to read more often when Detroit Red Wings goalie Alex Lyon stopped by the kickoff event for the 2024 Red Wings for Reading program. Lyon read a book to a group of kindergarten and first graders, then helped the seventh graders pick out their own free books during the school’s book fair.

As part of the expanded Red Wings for Reading platform, the Detroit Red Wings Foundation has teamed up with United Way for Southeastern Michigan to support their “My Home Library” program at two area elementary schools. The program will visit Daly Elementary in Dearborn in late March.

The visit to New Paradigm Glazer Academy coincided with the introduction of the 2024 Red Wings for Reading “Classroom Challenge,” a student reading incentive program available to 250 classrooms across Michigan during National Reading Month in March. Last year, more than 3,700 students participated, generating 2.2 million minutes of reading during National Reading Month.

The “My Home Library” program provides a set of five complimentary books to each student at schools in southeast Michigan communities deemed as “book deserts” for their lack of adequate access to reading materials. Approximately 400 students will benefit from 2,000 donated books at the two school locations.

To see more of Lyon’s visit, check out this video:

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• Red Wings forward happy to help kick off annual Street Hockey in the D: At School program

The guiding mission of the Detroit Red Wings’ groundbreaking Learn, Play, Score platform is to build confidence and character while imparting fundamental life skills to youth across Detroit.

And on Tuesday afternoon, Joe Veleno embodied that mission by playing floor hockey with students at Mackenzie Elementary-Middle School in northwest Detroit to help launch the Red Wings’ annual “Street Hockey in the D: At School” program, powered by Chevrolet.

“Any chance I can get out into the community means a lot to me,” Veleno said. “I was once in their shoes. We’re trying to help grow the game of hockey. A lot of these kids don’t get the opportunity to play hockey. So to introduce it in school, while it’s a little different, puts a smile on my face when I see these kids have fun.”

From Jan. 30 – Feb. 9, more than 34,000 students at various K-8 Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) locations will participate in the innovative street hockey program in their physical education classes.

“It’s all about growing the game of hockey,” said Ryan Gustafson, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of Ilitch Sports + Entertainment (IS+E), who was also in attendance Tuesday. “The best way to do that is by partnering with the schools. Having the buy-in from our partnership with DPSCD, having educators and everyone involved in this just makes the entire experience better. It helps us grow the game and impact kids’ lives, which is what this is all about.”

Helping lead hockey skills stations alongside several IS+E Community Impact colleagues, Veleno’s smile was one of the biggest in the room full of excited students.

“I never had these opportunities as a kid,” Veleno said. “To have an NHL player come to your school, talk to you and show you how to play definitely means a lot to me and hopefully to them.”

“Street Hockey in the D: At School” is an important program because it promotes healthy lifestyles and helps students create new memories, according to IS+E Director of Community Impact Kevin Brown.

“To see tens of thousands of students each year experience the joy and excitement of hockey in their physical education classes is unlike anything we’ve experienced as an organization,” Brown said. “The growth of the game is so important to the Detroit Red Wings. We know that access leads to opportunity, which ultimately opens doors for kids to dream big through the power of hockey.”

Stepping away from the everyday grind of an 82-game NHL season was refreshing for Veleno, who said he is enjoying his second full campaign with the Red Wings. On the ice this season, Veleno has recorded 19 points (nine goals, 10 assists) in 47 games.

“Although we’re winning some games and the vibe has been fun, there’s still a lot in our game that needs to improve, like every other good team,” Veleno said. “But we can’t get too ahead of ourselves. We must play in the moment, not look at what could happen or what other teams are doing. We just want to be able to control what we can, and that’s winning hockey games every night.”

‍Original article published By Jonathan Mills @DetroitRedWings DetroitRedWings.com

After being named a 2024 James Beard Award semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurateur, Detroit’s Waka by Baobab Fare has taken up residence inside Little Caesars Arena, sharing their authentic East African street food – including items that are not available elsewhere – with Detroit Red Wings and Pistons fans at home games until January 31.

Co-owners Nadia Nijimbere and her husband Hamissi Mamba, the restaurant’s chef, immigrated to America from Burundi seeking political asylum in 2013. They launched Baobab Fare in 2017, beginning with pop-ups on the street and at festivals, eventually opening a permanent location in Detroit in 2021.

“As a kid in Burundi, just the thought of being at a game was a dream. So, imagine me cooking chapati and bringing East African street food to Little Caesars Arena!” Mamba said. “I can’t begin to express how much I appreciate being there and being able to represent Detroit in this way. It truly represents Detroit Ni Nyumbani. And we bring another halal option to such a large and diverse crowd. It’s amazing and again we’re so grateful to be in this incredible space.”

The exclusive menu items for Little Caesars Arena include:

• Beef Chapati: Tender beef slow simmered in ripened tomato sauce, rolled in flat bread, plantains and beans
• Chicken Chapati: Pan-fried chicken in tangy mustard-onion sauce, rolled in flat bread, plantains and beans
• Eggplant Chapati: Fragrant eggplant stew, rolled in flat bread, plantains and beans

Little Caesars Arena and Comerica Park began featuring Detroit-based small businesses as food vendors in 2022, with nine businesses participating to date. This season at Little Caesars Arena has also included Bert’s Marketplace and Cooking with Que.  

“We’re proud to host Detroit-based businesses at Little Caesars Arena, offering new and exciting options for our guests,” said Ryan Gustafson, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Ilitch Sports + Entertainment. “Building these relationships creates connections that unite our community through shared experiences.”

Baobab Fare was awarded The Best New Restaurant in America in 2021, and in 2022, The Best New Restaurant in Metro Detroit and The Best New Restaurant in America. They received the State of Michigan Award in 2021 and 2023. Mamba and Nijimbere received two nominations for James Beard semifinalist for Best Chefs and in 2023, Mamba became a Food Network Chopped champion.

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The Detroit Tigers signed infielder Colt Keith to a six-year contract extension worth $28,642,500 that runs through the 2029 season and includes club options for the 2030, 2031, and 2032 seasons.

Keith will make $2,500,000 in 2024, $3,500,000 in 2025, $4,000,000 per season from 2026-27, and $5,000,000 per season from 2028-29. The deal also includes a $2,000,000 signing bonus, $10,000,000 club option for 2030 with a $2,642,500 buyout, $13,000,000 club option for 2031 with a $1,000,000 buyout, $15,000,000 club option for 2032 with a $2,000,000 buyout, and escalators for the club option salaries. If all options are escalated and exercised, the contract would be worth $82,000,000 over nine years.

Keith, drafted in the fifth round of the 2020 MLB Draft, has excelled during his journey through the Tigers player development system and is currently ranked by MLB Pipeline as the club’s No. 2 prospect, and No. 22 in all of baseball. The 22-year-old lefthanded hitter is a native of Zanesville, OH and attended Biloxi High School (MS).

“This is a very exciting day for the Detroit Tigers, Colt, his family, and our fans,” said Detroit Tigers President of Baseball Operations, Scott Harris. “Colt has done everything we’ve asked of him during his young career, improving all facets of his game and asserting himself as one of the sport’s most promising young players. This contract demonstrates our faith in Colt and this organization’s commitment to acquire, develop, and retain young talent.”

“I couldn’t be more excited to reach this agreement, securing my place in this organization for years to come,” said Keith. “Since being drafted in 2020, all the coaches and staff have been invaluable in helping me and my teammates grow on and off the field. There’s a reason I felt strongly about making a long-term commitment to be here, and being surrounded by incredibly talented teammates and coaches is a big part of that. I’d also like to thank my family, fiancé, agent, and friends for their tireless support throughout my life and career. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I know this is a big accomplishment, but ultimately my mission is to be the best player possible and help win a World Series Championship for Tigers fans everywhere.”

The 2023 season was a highly successful one for the then 21-year-old Keith, during which he powered through Double A (59 games) and Triple A (67 games). In his third Minor League season, and first reaching the Triple A level, Keith put together a combined slashline of .306/.380/.552 with 38 doubles, 27 homers, and 101 RBI. Among all full season Minor League players last season, he ranked third in extra-base hits (68), fifth in total bases (280), and tied for eighth in RBI (101).

While in Erie in 2023, he posted a .325/.391/.585 slashline, belting 14 home runs and 18 doubles, while driving in 50 RBI. Among all qualified hitters across the Double A level at the time of his promotion to Toledo (June 23), Keith ranked second in total bases (144); third in extra-base hits (34); fourth in slugging percentage (.585); fifth in batting average (.325), doubles (18) and home runs (14); and sixth in RBI (50). His performance earned several accolades from the Eastern League in 2023, including two Player of the Week honors (April 23 and May 21), Player of the Month (May) and being named a Post-Season All-Star.

After his promotion to Toledo, Keith ranked as one of the International League’s best hitters even though he was more than five years younger than the average player in the league. During his time with the Mud Hens, he hit .287/.369/.521 with 20 doubles, 13 home runs, and 51 RBI. From the span of his first game in Toledo (June 28) through the end of the season, Keith ranked third in the league with extra-base hits (34) and total bases (136); fourth in doubles (20); and fifth in hits (75) and RBI (51).

Additional accolades earned during his 2023 campaign: MiLB.com Organizational All-Star (also earned in 2022), MLB Futures Game Selection, Baseball America Tigers Minor League Player of the Year, and Minor League Baseball’s Single Game Performance of the Year after going 6×6 and hitting for the cycle (with two home runs) on May 16.

Through his first three professional seasons, Keith has slashed a combined .300/.382/.512 with 60 doubles, 11 triples, 38 home runs, and 164 RBI in 239 games. He played in the Arizona Fall League in 2022, hitting .344/.463/.541 with three doubles, three home runs and 10 RBI. Keith was selected to play in the AFL’s Rising Stars Game.

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