Flyers to host 2014 draft at Wells Fargo Center

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PITTSBURGH -- The Flyers continue to reap rather rich rewards from the National Hockey League.

After participating in the Winter Classic two of the past three seasons, the franchise was awarded the 2014 NHL Draft on Friday afternoon.

We are truly excited to host the 2014 National Hockey League Entry Draft at the Wells Fargo Center, said Comcast-Spectacor President Peter Luukko. This is further testament that Philadelphia truly is a hockey town.

We just hosted a wonderful Winter Classic last season and, in addition to hosting the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, we soon will be preparing to also host the 2014 NCAA Frozen Four at Wells Fargo Center.

What a thrill for not just hockey fans in our region, but for the entire City of Philadelphia. We would like to thank the NHL for selecting Philadelphia as the host city for the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.

The Flyers have never hosted an NHL Draft. The New Jersey Devils will host the 2013 Draft at Prudential Center.

The first NHL Draft was held in 1963 in a ballroom at a Montreal hotel.

After 17 years of being conducted in various Montreal hotels and the league office in that city, the Draft moved to the historic Montreal Forum in 1980 in front of more than 2,000 spectators.

In 1985, the NHL Entry Draft was held outside Montreal for the first time as a crowd of 7,000 filled the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Montreal again hosted the Draft in 1986, 1988, 1992 and 2009, and Toronto in 2002.

Since then, the Draft has moved around amongst the leagues teams.

E-mail Tim Panaccio at tpanotch@comcastsportsnet.com

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