Of all the tours and and exhibitions that will spring up during the lockout, the one that is likely to garner the most attention will happen in December in Europe.
TSN has learned that the International Management Group (IMG), the agency that represents elite athletes in every sport and many of the NHL's top stars, is finalizing a two or three-week barnstorming tour of Europe by a team of top NHL players.
Sources say the final format is still being worked on, but that a team of "elite" NHL players, not just those represented by IMG, will play a series of exhibition games against European-based club teams in December. This tour is based loosely on a similar event Wayne Gretzky put on during the 1994 lockout.
Some of the players who have been contacted about playing for the "World Stars" include Sergei Fedorov, Mats Sundin, Martin Brodeur, Rob Blake and Dany Heatley.
Sources say IMG's broadcast division, TWI, is currently negotiating to have the tour games broadcast in North America.