Betting on ‘Battle Of The Blades’: NHL Stars Turned Figure Skaters

With all the excitement of the newly started NFL season, the pending start of the NBA and NHL seasons and the MLB playoffs on tap, entertainment wagering options may getting lost in the shuffle.

The Canadian “Battle of the Blades” competition is back after a very successful inaugural season in 2009. The shows pairs ex-NHL hockey players with figure skating champions battling for the top prize of $100,000 that is donated to charity.

Former NHL Stars And Tough Guys Head The Battle Of The Blades Male Cast

The eight male skaters for the 2010 Battle of the Blades season are a combination of finesse and toughness.

Former Calgary Flame spark plug Theoron Fleury leads the ex-NHL cast of participants. Fleury averaged a point per game over his 15-year NHL career and won the Stanley Cup in 1989.

Valeri Bure played 10 years in the NHL and was known as the Russian Pocket Rocket because of his blazing speed. Bure played for five NHL teams and recored 400 points in 621 games.

Georges Laraque was one of the toughest and most feared players during  his 12 NHL seasons. Laraque played in 695 games and amassed 1,126 penalty minutes compared to 153 points scored.

Kelly Chase is another hard nosed former player who played in the NHL for 10 years. Known as an enforcer, Chase spent 2002 minutes in the penalty box while registering just 52 points.

The remaining four male cast members are Russ Courtnall, Patrice Brisebois, Todd Warriner and P.J. Stock.

World Class Figure Skaters Represent The Battle Of The Blades Female Cast

The women of the Battle of the Blades cast is led by Ekaterina Gordeeva who is a four-time World Champion and two-time Olympic Gold medalist.

Shae-Lynn Bourne is returning for a second season and is a 10-time Canadian Dance Champion. Bourne also won the first ever ice dance team World Figure Skating Championship with partner Victor Kraatz.

Jamie Salé is back for a second season and is half of the reigning 2009 Battle of the Blades champion team. Sale and partner David Pelletier won a gold medal at the 2002 Olympics as well as the pairs World Championship in 2001.

Violetta Afanasieva will be competing in her first Battle of the Blades. At 14 years old, Afanasieva started skating with the Bolshoi Moscow Circus on Ice and won the first ever Extreme Ice Skating World Championship with her husband Peter Dack.

Isabelle Brasseur, Kyoko Ina, Anabelle Langlois and Christine Hough-Sweeney round out the star studded international cast of figure skaters.

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