The 16th annual Stirling Cup NHL All-Star Weekend begins early this season with a skills clinic Saturday morning (September 17) led by Colorado Avalanche Alumni and Dallas Stars Alumni. Later in the day (5:00 pm), the puck drops at Lewis Arena for the highly anticipated NHL All-Star Alumni Classic, featuring the Avalanche and the Stars. Pregame festivities begin outside Lewis Arena at least an hour prior to the game. 

In their third consecutive season at the Stirling Cup in Aspen, the Colorado Avalanche Alumni Association is bringing an experienced roster of players totaling 3,750 NHL games.  They hope to improve their overall Stirling Cup record, which currently sits at 1-1.  Two years ago the Avalanche Alumni defeated the Detroit Red Wings; last year they gave up a third period lead to the Boston Bruins Alumni.  This season the team is led by future hall-of-famers Pierre Turgeon (2005-2007), and Milan Hejduk (1998-2008).

Turgeon completed his illustrious NHL career with the Avalanche, arriving in Colorado with 1,274 points already amassed.  He tallied 52 more points in an Avalanche jersey before retiring as the 32nd highest point getter in NHL history.  Milan Hejduk recorded 375 goals and 430 assists for 805 points in 1,020 career games.  Hejduk appeared in his 1,000th game on Feb. 4, 2013 vs. Dallas, becoming the first player in Colorado Avalanche history to play 1,000 career regular season games.  Hejduk is a Stanley Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist (1998).

With an impressive show of professional experience, the Dallas Stars Alumni team takes the ice with a combined 6,695 total NHL games.  The Stars are led by former goaltender Ed Belfour, who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of fame in the 2011 class, his first year of eligibility. Belfour is one of only two players to have won an NCAA championship (North Dakota), an Olympic Gold medal (2002), and a Stanley Cup (Dallas Stars). 

Alongside Belfour are long-time Dallas Stars standouts Brenden Morrow, Marty Turco, Bob Bassen and other NHL greats.  In their first meeting, the teams will play three 15-minute periods with plenty of time to rest during the breaks.  In-game promotions, including an on-ice auction between periods highlight the festivities.  The game will be broadcast live online by Grassroots TV.

Organized by Aspen Junior Hockey as a fundraiser for the AJH scholarship fund, the Stirling Cup All-Star Weekend concludes on Sunday at the Aspen Golf and Tennis Club.  Thirty-four teams of sponsors and supporters will partner with the NHL Alumni All-Stars in a battle on the greens for the right to raise the Stiring Cup.  The event concludes at the Red Mountain Grill after all teams complete 18 holes. 

Tickets remain for the hockey game: $20 for adults, $10 for children 14 and under.  For more information, visit: www.aspenjuniorhockey.com/stirlingcup.