While the BMO Center ice will be filled with stars for next Tuesday and Wednesday’s AHL All-Star Classic events, there will be plenty of star power at the events who won’t be in uniform. 

For the AHL All-Star Skills Competition on Tuesday, Feb. 10, Chicago legend Wayne Messmer will perform the “Star-Spangled Banner.” Messmer was the long-time public address announcer for the Chicago Cubs and still regularly performs the national anthem before Cubs games. Over the years he has also performed the anthem at Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago White Sox, and Chicago Bears games. Messmer is the Senior Executive Vice President of the AHL’s Chicago Wolves and performs the anthem prior to most Wolves home games.

Prior to the AHL All-Star Challenge on Wednesday, Feb. 11, Jim Cornelison will perform “O Canada” and the “Star-Spangled Banner.” Cornelison became the official national anthem singer of the Chicago Blackhawks, beginning in the 2008-09 NHL season and has performed the anthem a number of times for the Rockford IceHogs, including most recently prior to a 2023 Calder Cup Playoff game at the BMO Center. Cornelison first gained international prominence singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” before the 2009 NHL Winter Classic between the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks, played in historic Wrigley Field. Other notable performances on his resume include becoming the new voice of “Back Home Again in Indiana” at the Indianapolis 500, NHL Winter Classic performances in 2014 and 2019, 2012 Ryder Cup closing ceremonies, the opening game of the NFL’s 100th season, NASCAR races at Chicagoland Speedway, ESPN’s Friday Night Fights and College Game Day, and many other Division I NCAA competitions.

As previously announced, additional celebrities who will play prominent roles in the All-Star Classic festivities include Nicole Briscoe, a Roscoe, IL, native and ESPN SportsCenter anchor, who will emcee the AHL Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, February 11 at the Coronado Theatre. Briscoe started her television career as a general assignment reporter at WREX-TV in Rockford and attended Northern Illinois University. She has worked in various roles on ESPN’s NASCAR, MLB and Formula 1 coverage since 2008 and became a SportsCenter anchor in 2015. At the ceremony, the AHL will also recognize the All-Star Classic Honorary Captains and Blackhawks Stanley Cup champions Patrick Sharp and Kris Versteeg. Sharp and Versteeg will be on the bench for both All-Star Classic events and will attend the post-event after parties at Hard Rock Casino – Rockford both nights. 

Tickets for the Skills Competition and All-Star Challenge are going fast but are on sale at icehogs.com/asc26.

The AHL Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Ceremony is not a ticketed event and is free and open to the public.

Tickets for the post-event parties are $10 can be purchased at: gofevo.com/group/Ahlall464542.