On Tuesday September 09, several GameBoyz staff had a chance to attend the EA Sports NHL 09 Media Launch Event. As it turns out the event was right in our own backyard. Most of us GameBoyz staffers are all from British Columbia, Canada, so when we had a chance to attend the event we were all over it.

The day started out bright and early at the Burnaby 8 Rinks in, as you would guess it, Burnaby, BC which is not too far from EA Canada Headquarters. It is also where the Vancouver Canucks practice. It just so happens that while the event was taking place, the Canucks were having a morning skate at the rink. It had been several years since I have played hockey at the 8 rinks and I was caught off guard by how ‘frickin’ cold it was. Fortunately, the kind folks at EA supplied us with some toques and gloves to keep us warm. So what were we doing at the rink? Well, a wide variety of media such as Much Music, TSN, CBC, Sportsnet, Gamespot, ET Canada and The Score to name a few were invited to witness an EA Sports NHL 10 on ice motion capture session. Not long after we arrived, the players arrived. They included:

• Dion Phaneuf from the Calgary Flames (NHL 09 Cover Athlete);

• Jeremy Roenick from the San Jose Sharks (wearing a slick looking Tilley hat);

• Patrick O'Sullivan from the Los Angeles Kings;

• Drew Doughty also from the Los Angeles Kings (2nd overall draft pick in 2008);