TORONTO (September 12, 2012)- Sportsnet hockey analyst and former NHLer Nick Kypreos has won a both a Stanley Cup and Calder Cup – but does he have what it takes to complete a 26.2-mile marathon? As announced today on Sportsnet 590 The FAN’s HOCKEY CENTRAL @ Noon, Sportsnet will be the exclusive Canadian broadcaster of the 2012 ING New York City Marathon – and Kypreos will test his mettle by taking on the 26.2 mile race through New York’s five boroughs on Sunday, Nov. 4.

“I may have some extra time on my hands this fall, and thought the challenge of training for the New York City Marathon would keep me more than occupied,” said Kypreos, member of the 1994 Stanley Cup Champion New York Rangers. “It’s been 15 years since I’ve trained as a pro athlete, and this type of training is like nothing I’ve experienced before. I’m honoured to be returning to New York to participate in one of its greatest events – I’ll probably see more of the city on the 26.2 mile course than I did during the three years I was there with the Rangers!”

At the age of 46, Kypreos is following in the footsteps of several other former NHL players who have tested their endurance limits and completed the marathon, including Pat LaFontaine and Kypreos’s former Rangers teammates Mark Messier, Adam Graves and Mike Richter. Sportsnet will broadcast the race in Canada on Nov. 4 (full broadcast details to be announced at a later date).

“We are delighted Nick has chosen to run the ING New York City Marathon and join a distinguished list of former NHL players who’ve completed the race,” said Richard Finn, Spokesperson, ING New York City Marathon and New York Road Runners. “It’s New York’s greatest day and one of the world’s best sporting spectacles. More than 2.5 million people will line the race route through all five boroughs to cheer for Nick and the other 47,000 runners – and viewers at home in Canada will have front row seats for the race courtesy of Sportsnet.”

In its 42-year history, the ING New York City Marathon has become the leader among marathons around the world, a favourite of professional and recreational runners alike. The race attracts more than 100,000 applicants from around the world each year and continues to grow in size and popularity with 47,000-plus participants, 1,500 of whom are Canadians. The event is a must-see exhibition of athletic performance with New York City’s diverse neighbourhoods serving as a backdrop.

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About the ING New York City Marathon

NYRR’s premier event, the ING New York City Marathon is the most loved and most inclusive marathon in the world, attracting elite athletes and recreational runners alike for the challenge and thrill of a lifetime. The race has grown tremendously since it began in 1970 with just 127 runners racing four laps of Central Park. Now, more than 47,000 participants from all over the globe flock to New York City every November for an adrenaline-filled road tour of all five boroughs, starting on Staten Island at the foot of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and ending in Central Park. Some run for prize money or bragging rights, others for charity or their personal best. All are cheered on by more than two million live spectators and a TV audience of 330 million.

About Sportsnet 
Sportsnet connects Canadian sports fans to their favourite teams and athletes, using five platforms: TV, Radio, Print, Online and Mobile. Sportsnet is Fuelled By Fans, and delivers storytelling on a local, regional, national and global level.  The multiplatform brand consists of Sportsnet, sportsnet.ca, Sportsnet 590 The FAN, Sportsnet 960 The FAN, Sportsnet magazine, Sportsnet Mobile and the Hockey Central app on iPad and Playbook.  Sportsnet is the Canadian leader in NHL and MLB television broadcasts and is home to 162 Toronto Blue Jays games, plus MLB Playoffs and the World Series.  Sportsnet is an official broadcaster of the London 2012 Olympic Games, and also offers an exciting sports lineup including the NFL, the Rogers Cup tennis tournament, the Memorial Cup, and soccer programming with UEFA Champions League, Barclays Premier League, MLS Vancouver Whitecaps FC, and Canadian national team matches for men and women.  Connected is the network’s nightly news program, providing regional and national coverage of the day’s events in the world of sports.