Hazel Mae Returns to Sportsnet Connected Tonight, with Week-Long All-Star Guest Lineup

– Gary Bettman in studio Monday night for Mae’s first Connected interview -

TORONTO (Nov. 14, 2011) - Hazel Mae returns to Sportsnet tonight with a full slate of interviews and features to kick off her first week as anchor of the 6 p.m. weeknight edition of Sportsnet Connected. Mae begins her reign as anchor with an in-studio interview with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and a sit-down with Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Doug Gilmour tonight at 6 p.m. ET on Sportsnet East and Sportsnet Ontario.

Tonight, Mae speaks to Bettman about the current hot issues stirring up the NHL. Against criticism, will fighting remain a part of the game for years to come? This edition of Connected will be capped off by Mae’s candid interview with Doug Gilmour discussing the fondest memories of his NHL career on the eve of his induction to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Mae’s other interviews on Connected this week include a sit-down on Tuesday with budding Canadian tennis star Milos Raonic, discussing his rapid rise in the tennis rankings as well as his recent return to the professional circuit following an injury he suffered at Wimbledon in June. On Thursday, former No.1-ranked tennis superstar Pete Sampras joins Mae in studio. Sampras and Raonic are getting ready to meet in "The Face Off", an exhibition match where the young Canuck takes on his idol, Sampras.

Additional high-profile interviews to be announced in the coming days.

Complementing her anchor duties on Connected, Mae will work across all Sportsnet platforms, including as a guest host on Sportsnet 590 The FAN and Sportsnet 960 The FAN, a regular contributor on Sportsnet magazine and sportsnet.ca.

About Sportsnet

Sportsnet connects Canadian sports fans to their favourite teams and athletes, using five platforms: TV, Radio, Print, Online and Mobile. Sportsnet is Fuelled By Fans, and delivers storytelling on a local, regional, national and global level.  The multiplatform brand consists of Sportsnet, sportsnet.ca, Sportsnet 590 The FAN, Sportsnet 960 The FAN, Sportsnet magazine, Sportsnet Mobile and the Sportsnet iPad app.  Sportsnet is the Canadian leader in NHL and MLB television broadcasts and is home to 162 Toronto Blue Jays games, plus MLB Playoffs and the World Series. Sportsnet is an official broadcaster of the London 2012 Olympic Games, and also offers an exciting sports lineup including the NFL, the Rogers Cup tennis tournament, the Memorial Cup, and soccer programming with UEFA Champions League, Barclays Premier League, MLS Vancouver Whitecaps FC, and Canadian national team matches for men and women. Sportsnet Connected is the network’s nightly news program, providing regional and national coverage of the day’s events in the world of sports.

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