Originally posted at All Habs by Kyle Roussel

Coming to Montreal next week for the Draft NHLTweetup? You should be because we continue to elevate this “mother of all NHLTweetups with great activities, sponsors and prizes.

No hockey event in Montreal would be complete without playing a game of pick up hockey, even in late June when summer has officially started.

Forget the Stanley Cup finals and ignore salary caps! On Saturday, June 27th, McGill University Athletics has granted us use of their Fieldhouse and equipment to play the first of what will hopefully be many annual NHLTweetup Hockey Challenges at the annual NHL Entry Draft.

This will be a FUN game, open to guys and girls of ALL skill levels. Essentially, if you have a heartbeat, you can (and should) play! However, space is limited. We’re looking for enough recruits to fill 2 teams (11 per team, goalie included). You will not have to bring any equipment with you in your travels except for running shoes, and whatever you want to wear. Equipment such as gloves and helmet are optional, and not required. However if you’re like me and can’t play hockey without gloves, it would be a good idea to leave some extra room in your luggage for them.

If you choose not to play, you are still encouraged to come be one of the coaches, determine line combinations and, *ahem*, “strategy”. We’re also looking for a ref who will also moonlight as in-game commissioner (to make trades as he/she sees fit to keep the game evenly matched).

The deal will be sweetened for the winning team, so you do want to score at least 1 more goal than the other side! Who’s going to be the Max Talbot of the Tweetup Hockey Challenge?

How to reserve your spot? Don’t be shy!

Leave a comment at All Habs and let us know if you’ll participate as a player, coach or referee. In order to help us stay organized, only by posting there on that blog can you reserve your spot. Twitter posts, or comments left on other blogs, emails, voicemails, fax, snail mail, telegrams, telegraph and morse code will not be accepted.

Thanks to hockeybuzz.com for sponsoring this amazing and unique event!

Are you coming to Montreal?

• Perhaps you want the chance to meet fellow hockey fans from across the U.S. and Canada.
• Or it could be your opportunity to visit the beautiful, vibrant and romantic city of Montreal.
• Maybe you will be one of the lucky few attending the NHL amateur draft in person, watching the likes of John Tavares, Matt Duchene, Victor Hedman, Brayden Schenn, or Evander Kane being selected by your favorite team.

Whatever your reason, you probably know that attending a hockey event in Montreal is like no other around the league. This is a rare chance.

Fans who trek to Montreal to watch their favorite team play the Canadiens universally report that there is something different and palpable about how hockey is embraced in this city. Montreal is the mecca for hockey fans. Special things happen in the city that is home to 24 Stanley Cup winning teams.

Similarly this will be an opportunity to attend a hockey tweetup like no other. Loyal, passionate and knowledgeable hockey fans will get together to meet, enjoy, and follow day two of the 2009 NHL amateur draft.

For those already living in Montreal, it is your chance to meet with hockey fans and bloggers from across the continent.

The Montreal Draft Tweetup headquarters will be Ye Olde Orchard Pub and Grill. Ye Olde Orchard is a friendly Celtic Pub located on the first floor of a beautiful downtown heritage building within walking distance of the Bell Centre.

Other draft weekend events include a fun road hockey challenge playing at McGill University and skating on the year-round ice at the Atrium.

You’ll even have a chance to win hockey prizes from the Hockey Hall of Fame, NHL and others.

If you haven’t yet signed up, do so today before it’s too late!

All Habs and NHLTweetup.com will be hosting a Tweetup in Montreal for the NHL amateur draft. This is a unique opportunity for passionate fans from all over the continent to come together to network and celebrate hockey. Besides Montreal, there are confirmed attendees from Boston, Philadelphia, Toronto, New York, Detroit, Tampa and San Jose.

Events will take place on Friday June 26 and Saturday June 27.

Partnerships

Fairmont Queen Elizabeth and Delta – Centreville have established special Tweetup rates for our out-of-town attendees.

Check out their reduced rates and information about the great city of Montreal.

The Hockey Hall of Fame and the NHL have provided prizes.

The NHL has provided a limited number of tickets to the draft.

Schedule of Events

Friday June 26

Bell Centre – 2009 NHL Amateur Draft (tickets are limited)

Saturday June 27

McGill University – Fun hockey challenge

Downtown location – Montreal Draft Tweetup

Atrium – Group Skating (family event)

See you there! Register today!!

We’ve had a lot of questions about how to get around in Montreal, where to stay and what to do while you’re here. To try and help everyone who is coming in for the Draft NHL Tweetup, we’ve compiled some general information to point you in the right direction.

There are also a number of good websites that offer information about Montreal, such as Montreal Kiosk , Tourism Montreal and Montreal.com .

Transportation

From the airport to the city

The Trudeau Airport is located on the western side of the Island of Montreal. While it is possible to get downtown using public transportation, it’s not easy. There are 2 options that are pretty simple:
• The cheap option: Take the airport shuttle bus (Aerobus)
The airport shuttle bus departs every half an hour from the airport, and stops at several hotels downtown before reaching the bus terminal, which is its’ final destination. There is a kiosk outside the airport departures level, where tickets can be purchased on arrival. It will cost $15.00 one-way, or $25.00 round trip. You can also arrange to be dropped off at your hotel by reserving in advance. Click on the link above for more information.
• The less cheap option: Take a taxi
It’s relatively quick and easy to get a taxi outside the airport, or on pretty much any major street in Montreal. There is a set fare for trips from the airport to downtown Montreal (and vice-versa) of $38.00 (not including tip). You can find taxi numbers by clicking on the link above, but trust me, you probably won’t need it.

In the city

1) Public Transit
Montreal has a very good transit system, with both bus and metro (subway) service, if you want to be adventurous and explore the city. For more information about transit:
A couple of pointers for transit:
• You can buy a one-day pass or a three-day pass. If you plan to do a bunch of exploring, this will probably save you money.
• When you take the metro, pay attention to the direction you need to travel. This can at times be confusing, but there are always maps in the metro that can help you figure out which way to go.
• Google Maps is linked in to the Montreal transit system and give you pretty good directions on how to get somewhere using car, transit or by walking!

2) Taxi
Of course, there is always the option to take a cab. Your hotel concierge can get you one, or you can flag one down on most roads in the downtown area. If the light is lit on top of the cab, they are available to take a fare. Just wave, they’ll stop and pick you up!

3) Walk
Yes, walk! Downtown Montreal is a nice place to walk. Montrealers walk a LOT, so get out and enjoy our beautiful sunny weather. If, by chance, it happens to be rainy… there is a pretty cool underground city that connects a few different malls and such.

Hotels and Accomodations  **new information**

We have been lucky enough to pair with the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth to offer a special rate for people attending the Draft NHLTweetup! They are offering a special rate of $199 per night plus a $25 food and beverage credit. This is a really good rate for a very nice hotel (and just between us, I also heard a rumour the players may be staying at this hotel also). Click the link to make a reservation.

Another option in the downtown area is the Delta Centreville. They are offering summer rates as low as $109 per night through TravelZoo. Click here to make a reservation.

Please note that both of these deals require special codes, which you will have access to if you click on the links from this page.

If neither of these hotels work for you, there are a number of hotels in the downtown area. We intend to focus our activities in the area of the Bell Centre, so consider looking in that area. I would recommend visiting Trip Advisor and exploring the reviews if you aren’t familiar with the hotel. There are a lot of upscale hotels in the area of the Bell Centre, but don’t be discouraged, there are other hotels as well.

Please be aware: The Montreal International Jazz Festival starts the following Wednesday, and people may come in early for this. You might want to book your hotel sooner rather than later!

Restaurants and Bars

Montreal is famous for its nightlife and good food. While it would be impossible to list all the good places to go, here are a few areas that you might want to explore.

• Crescent Street – Located right in the area of the Bell Centre, Crescent Street is full of restaurants, pubs and bars. Wander up the street, and you’ll be sure to find something that appeals to you.
• St Laurent Blvd – If you are interested in the nightlife and want to go to the bars, St Laurent Blvd (north of Sherbrooke St) is always a happening place. There are bars and restaurants along here, including the famous Schwartz’s Montreal Hebrew Delicatessen, where you can try a delicious Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich. Don’t be intimidated by the line up – if you want to take out, you can usually skip the line. But it’s worth the wait if you want to sit down!
• Rue St Denis – A little less nightlife, but a lot more restaurants than St Laurent. It’s a bit further from downtown, but not much.

Things to Do in Montreal

Things to Do in Montreal (that are hockey related)

• Hang out with the Tweeps from Montreal, and come to the TweetUp (of course!)
• Visit the Old Forum (Ste Catherine and Atwater) – there are still parts of the old seats to see. It has been turned into a retail establishment, but if you’re a Habs fan (or even if you’re not), it’s definitely worth a visit
• Visit the Bell Centre and see the new Centennial Plaza… and shop at the Canadiens store (you all know you’re secretly Habs fans at heart, and you are dying to buy a jersey or shirt!)

Things to Do in Montreal (that aren’t hockey related)

If you are interested in checking out other things to do in Montreal, there are a number of big attractions that might interest you:
• La Ronde (our local amusement park)
• For the geeks , the Biodôme/Insectarium/Botanical Gardens/Planetarium (choose the one you are interested in on that page… and just to be clear, I love these places!)
• The Old Port is a cool place to walk around and shop or eat, also right in the area are the Montreal Science Centre and the Pointe-à-Callière Museum of Archealogy and History
• SHOP (Ste Catherine St, St Laurent Blvd or St Denis are good places to start!)
• Titanic The Artifact Exhibit

Hopefully this information will help you plan your trip to Montreal! Of course, you can always ask us questions if you are stuck or need more information. Just contact one of the local organizing committee members:

@all_habs
@amandafortier
@kyleroussel
@metricjulie

We’re looking forward to meeting you at the Draft NHL TweetUp!

As an initial gesture of the NHL’s support, I have sent to @all_habs 50 complimentary general admission tickets to the NHL Draft.  These are good for both Friday and Saturday night.

I also have shipped up some wristbands and a few goodies to be given out.

We intend to be as supportive as possible, and so I hope to assist even further as we get closer to the event.

Good luck!  And thanks again for your support of the NHL!  (ort is it LNH?)

Mike DiLorenzo, @umassdilo

We’ve had a lot of questions about how to get around in Montreal, where to stay and what to do while you’re here. To try and help everyone who is coming in for the Draft NHL Tweetup, we’ve compiled some general information to point you in the right direction.

There are also a number of good websites that offer information about Montreal as well, such as Montreal Kiosk , Tourism Montreal and Montreal.com .

Transportation

From the airport to the city

The Trudeau Airport is located on the western side of the Island of Montreal. While it is possible to get downtown using public transportation, it’s not easy. There are 2 options that are pretty simple:
• The cheap option: Take the airport shuttle bus (Aerobus)
The airport shuttle bus departs every half an hour from the airport, and stops at several hotels downtown before reaching the bus terminal, which is its’ final destination. There is a kiosk outside the airport departures level, where tickets can be purchased on arrival. It will cost $15.00 one-way, or $25.00 round trip. You can also arrange to be dropped off at your hotel by reserving in advance. Click on the link above for more information.
• The less cheap option: Take a taxi
It’s relatively quick and easy to get a taxi outside the airport, or on pretty much any major street in Montreal. There is a set fare for trips from the airport to downtown Montreal (and vice-versa) of $38.00 (not including tip). You can find taxi numbers by clicking on the link above, but trust me, you probably won’t need it.

In the city

1) Public Transit
Montreal has a very good transit system, with both bus and metro (subway) service, if you want to be adventurous and explore the city. For more information about transit:
A couple of pointers for transit:
• You can buy a one-day pass or a three-day pass. If you plan to do a bunch of exploring, this will probably save you money.
• When you take the metro, pay attention to the direction you need to travel. This can at times be confusing, but there are always maps in the metro that can help you figure out which way to go.
• Google Maps is linked in to the Montreal transit system and give you pretty good directions on how to get somewhere using car, transit or by walking!

2) Taxi
Of course, there is always the option to take a cab. Your hotel concierge can get you one, or you can flag one down on most roads in the downtown area. If the light is lit on top of the cab, they are available to take a fare. Just wave, they’ll stop and pick you up!

3) Walk
Yes, walk! Downtown Montreal is a nice place to walk. Montrealers walk a LOT, so get out and enjoy our beautiful sunny weather. If, by chance, it happens to be rainy… there is a pretty cool underground city that connects a few different malls and such.

Hotels and Accomodations

There are a number of hotels in the downtown area. We intend to focus our activities in the area of the Bell Centre, so consider looking in that area. I would recommend visiting Trip Advisor and exploring the reviews if you aren’t familiar with the hotel. There are a lot of upscale hotels in the area of the Bell Centre, but don’t be discouraged, there are other hotels as well.

Please be aware: The Montreal International Jazz Festival starts the following Wednesday, and people may come in early for this. You might want to book your hotel sooner rather than later!

Restaurants and Bars

Montreal is famous for its nightlife and good food. While it would be impossible to list all the good places to go, here are a few areas that you might want to explore.

• Crescent Street – Located right in the area of the Bell Centre, Crescent Street is full of restaurants, pubs and bars. Wander up the street, and you’ll be sure to find something that appeals to you.
• St Laurent Blvd – If you are interested in the nightlife and want to go to the bars, St Laurent Blvd (north of Sherbrooke St) is always a happening place. There are bars and restaurants along here, including the famous Schwartz’s Montreal Hebrew Delicatessen, where you can try a delicious Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich. Don’t be intimidated by the line up – if you want to take out, you can usually skip the line. But it’s worth the wait if you want to sit down!
• Rue St Denis – A little less nightlife, but a lot more restaurants than St Laurent. It’s a bit further from downtown, but not much.

Things to Do in Montreal

Things to Do in Montreal (that are hockey related)

• Hang out with the Tweeps from Montreal, and come to the TweetUp (of course!)
• Visit the Old Forum (Ste Catherine and Atwater) – there are still parts of the old seats to see. It has been turned into a retail establishment, but if you’re a Habs fan (or even if you’re not), it’s definitely worth a visit
• Visit the Bell Centre and see the new Centennial Plaza… and shop at the Canadiens store (you all know you’re secretly Habs fans at heart, and you are dying to buy a jersey or shirt!)

Things to Do in Montreal (that aren’t hockey related)

If you are interested in checking out other things to do in Montreal, there are a number of big attractions that might interest you:
• La Ronde (our local amusement park)
• For the geeks , the Biodôme/Insectarium/Botanical Gardens/Planetarium (choose the one you are interested in on that page… and just to be clear, I love these places!)
• The Old Port is a cool place to walk around and shop or eat, also right in the area are the Montreal Science Centre and the Pointe-à-Callière Museum of Archealogy and History
• SHOP (Ste Catherine St, St Laurent Blvd or St Denis are good places to start!)
• Titanic The Artifact Exhibit

Hopefully this information will help you plan your trip to Montreal! Of course, you can always ask us questions if you are stuck or need more information. Just contact one of the local organizing committee members:

@all_habs
@amandafortier
@kyleroussel
@metricjulie

We’re looking forward to meeting you at the Montreal Draft NHL TweetUp!

We had such a good time, we are doing it again!

What you ask? Perhaps you recall that All Habs hosted a NHL Tweetup during the first game of the Montreal – Boston series. It’s time for a second NHL Tweetup in Montreal. More about that later.

All Habs scheduled the Montreal NHL Tweetup during game 1 of the Habs/Bruins series on April 16th. It was a good turnout for a first time; a dozen passionate Habs fans descended on Les 3 Brasseurs at Ste Catherine and Crescent. (Thank you to @pluc for choosing the location!)

One by one, our little community of Habs Twitterati filed in to the bar. The catch is that nobody had really met before, so there was no way to really know who you were meeting up with. We can assume that nobody was left in the bar alone, so everyone eventually found the right table! Even though the Canadiens lost, a great time was had by all. We didn’t get a lot to cheer about, but the spirits remained high just the same. It was not your typical bunch of cranky, demanding Habs fans!

Some highlights of the night:

• @twtfelipe won the NHL Gamecenter Subscription.
• @EP31’s AWESOME Lucic voodoo doll (Read: Bruins Voodoo Magic )
• @pluc’s domination of not one, but two “flamms” (they’re not quite a pizza, but you get the idea)

We certainly learned some lessons from our first get together. We hope that the NHL will be more forthcoming with their game schedule in future which will really assist in planning. And the NHL committed to be more equitable in their prize distribution. All Habs is also pursuing inclusion of the Canadiens organization in future events. While the Canadiens have been slow to embrace social media, we expect some progress.

The best thing that came out of the first Montreal tweetup is a continued camaraderie between a loyal group of Habs fans. It’s safe to say that there’s enough love of hockey in this group for a tweetup to be held for just about any reason.

We do have an excellent reason for the next NHL tweetup in Montreal: the NHL draft!

This time All Habs will be joining forces with the NHL and the good people who have organized two successful NHL tweetups in NYC. That’s right! Montreal will host NHL twitter fans from all over the U.S. and Canada on the weekend of NHL draft. The location and further details will be announced soon.

Our partners who will coordinate the event league-wide:

@dani3boyz
@nhltweetup

Your Montreal organizing group for the NHL draft tweetup:

@amandafortier
@metricjulie
@kyleroussel
@all_habs

*New location*
Les 3 Brasseurs – Crescent
Ste Catherine & Crescent
1356 Ste-Catherine St. W.

Just let the staff know you want to be seated with the Montreal Tweetup group.

We have a small number of goodie bags from the NHL containing a 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs commemorative puck, a 2009 commemorative Winter Classic magnet, and a coupon for 20% off Shop.NHL.com merchandise.

We’ll also be giving away an NHL GameCenter Live subscription, courtesy of the NHL, to one lucky attendee.

Be sure to RSVP at the link on this page!

The first question was answered when the Canadiens played a strong game in Boston to earn their way into the playoffs.

The Montreal tweetup will take place on the night of the Canadiens first playoff game.  Once the playoff schedule is released, we will have more information for you.

Please follow @All_Habs on Twitter for further details.

2009 playoffs: The Drive for 25