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Peter Laviolette says Ron Wilson will star in HBO: 24/7

lavvy wilson

There are select few NHL coaches able to speak about the HBO experience -- in fact, there are only four: Dan Bylsma, Bruce Boudreau, John Tortorella and Peter Laviolette.

As such, it was interesting to hear who Laviolette thought would be the star of the next 24/7 series, when the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs embark on the road to the 2013 Winter Classic.

“I know Ron -- he’ll have fun with it,” Laviolette said of Toronto head coach Ron Wilson. “He’s got a good personality [for the show].

Wilson and Laviolette know each other well through USA Hockey -- Wilson was tabbed as the American head coach at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Laviolette the bench boss for the 2006 games in Torino. The Flyers head coach relished his experience on the hit reality series, saying that Wilson will make for some quality viewing.

“Within five minutes of it going on, I forgot I was [on camera],” Laviolette said. “I watched [every episode]. My family watched it, my kids, everybody. HBO does a great job.

“When it comes out next year, that’ll be great –- I can’t wait to see it.”

While HBO has yet to renew its deal to produce the show, Toronto media is already drooling over the possibility of a raw, unfiltered look at the Leafs. Dave Feschuk of the Toronto Star assumed GM Brian Burke would love the idea, and guess what?

Burke totally does!

“I believe HBO has done a marvelous job with this series — ‘24/7’ gives fans a look at the guts of the game, and at the same time the breadth of its players and coaches,” Burke wrote in an email. “It is must-see TV for hockey fans.”