Will Arnett to host 2016 NHL Awards in Las Vegas

Comedian Will Arnett will host the 2016 NHL Awards in Las Vegas.

The event, which will take place on June 22, will have a new venue at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The league’s awards have previously been held at the Palms Hotel, Encore at Wynn Las Vegas and the MGM Grand. The league’s had its awards in Las Vegas since 2009.

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“We look forward to being back in Las Vegas, which has been an ideal destination for our NHL Awards celebration,” said Steve Mayer, NHL Executive Vice President and Executive Producer of Programming and Creative Development. “The end of June marks a special time on the NHL calendar for our players and their families, fans, partners as well as our Clubs. By adding the talents of Will Arnett and a new, exciting setting at the The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel, the League hopes to make this year’s show the best one ever.” 

The 45-year-old Arnett is a Toronto native who is best known for his work on the TV show “Arrested Development.”

Arnett is also a noted Toronto Maple Leafs fan who has dipped his toe into the awards in the past, making fun of Brendan Shanahan’s Department of Player Safety videos in the 2012 NHL Awards.

Said Arnett in a statement, “I'm excited to host the 2016 NHL Awards because we all know in 2017 I'll be too busy celebrating the Leafs winning the Stanley Cup.”

In the past the NHL has been mocked for their association with some celebrities and musical acts at the awards. The “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” botched Martin St. Louis’ name at the 2011 NHL Awards. Chaka Khan’s performance at the 2009 awards didn’t seem to strike a note with hockey fans. 

The NHL did not announce more particulars on the event in their release.

In March, Puck Daddy interviewed Mayer, who is being tasked to helped with the NHL’s creative content side, which includes the awards and other big events.

“We’re looking at what we can do differently but at the end of the day the core has to be that we’re handing out our awards. We cannot and we won’t shy away from that,” Mayer said. “And that’s the something with everything that I’m doing and we cannot overlook the core and that’s the great game. So how do you add or enhance? We’re still going to hand out the awards to all the players. So how do we do it in a cool, creative way that makes the show more compelling and more interesting for our fans.”

Last year comedian Rob Riggle hosted the awards. 

What do you think about the NHL's choice to host the 2016 Awards?

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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @joshuacooper