Hockey Night In Dubai, Kandahar

It is not often hockey adorns the pages of The National, the English national newspaper of the United Arab Emeriates.

But this is a special week: It is Canada Week In Dubai. And a group of former NHL and international stars are in Dubai to help promote the week, raise money for the UAE Terry Fox Run and the Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation, and have some fun playing hockey.

Yvan Cournoyer, Stephan Lebeau, Ken Linseman, Jim Peplinski, Dana Murzyn and Enrico Ciccone are joined by international stars like Alexander Yakushev, Jari Kurri, Mats Naslund, and Willy Lindstrom. The International All Stars are playing the Dubai Mighty Camels (no, I'm not making that up) at the Dubai Ice Rink at the Dubai Mall.

Interesting stuff.

There have been a few stories early this month about hockey travelling to Afghanistan, too. A group of NHL legends are visiting the Canadian troops, playing in ball hockey matches and keeping spirits high.

Lanny McDonald, Tiger Williams, Mike Pelyk, Ron Tugnutt, Mark Napier, Larry Patey, Mark LaForest, Troy Crowder, Perry Berezan, Colin Patterson, Neil Labatte and Ed Staniowski and rockers Glass Tiger all made the trip.