Making the Cut: A New Hockey Reality Show Coming to CBC

Canada has a new reality show set to hit the air this fall. Making the Cut gives hockey hopefuls the chance to compete for a spot in one of six NHL training camps for the 2005 season. The training camps consist of all six Canadian franchises – the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Montreal Canadiens.

If you want to try out, you have to be quick. The last tryouts are being held June 13 - 15 in Ottawa and June 18 - 20 in Montreal. You can get more information about how to "make the cut" at www.makingthecut.bell.ca. The only stipulations are that you are over the age of 19 (both men and women can compete) and do not have a contract with the NHL or any semi-professional hockey team/league.

Over 12,000 people are expected to try out, with the Top 68 moving on two a two-week training camp where they will be whittled down to just six. The training camp will be run by renowned NHL coaches Scotty Bowman and Mike Keenan. The initial selection process, however, will be determined by various hockey professionals, coaches, and scouts from not only the NHL but also different international leagues.

If you don't think you can make the cut, think again. Great players such as Eddie Belfour, star goaltender of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and another goaltender, Curtis Joseph, were both signed as free agents when they first began. Another notable player that went unnoticed by scouts at first is the Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning's Martin St. Louis. He just earned himself the Art Ross Trophy for being the league's scoring leader at the end of the regular season.

The CBC recently outbid CanWest Global for rights to the program. It is expected to be one of the most expensive productions in Canadian television history. Making The Cut will run for 13 weeks on the CBC beginning in September. If you are in the U.S. and want to see this one, start calling your local sports station now and ask them to pick it up.

Paris Cosby is a Canadian mother of three. You can send her fan mail, hate mail, or junk mail at pariscosby@hotmail.com.

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