Ted Leonsis, Gary Bettman drop the puck on refurbished D.C. hockey rink (Video)

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Emily Mekinc

Ted Leonsis, founder and chairman of Monumental Sports & Entertainment and owner of the Washington Capitals says the refurbishment of the Watkins Rush Rink will have a "lasting impact on the Southeast D.C. community for years to come."

Emily Mekinc

Assistant Producer- Washington Business Journal

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As the region gears up for the NHL Winter Classic on New Year's Day, two of the prime players responsible for the game's arrival in D.C. unveiled a newly refurbished street hockey rink at an elementary school in Southeast.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Washington Capitals Owner Ted Leonsis, along with members of D.C.'s Department of Parks and Recreation and District of Columbia Public Schools, celebrated the opening of the Watkins Rush Rink at Watkins Elementary School and Recreation Center. The rink is part of the NHL's Legacy Initiative, which the league says pumped $115,000 into the community.

"While the 2015 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic will be memorable in a host of ways, it is a priority for the National Hockey League that the impact of this outstanding event lasts long after the game concludes," Bettman said.

Check out the video above for more from Bettman on why the NHL chose the Watkins Rush Rink, as well as Leonsis on why the rink is better than any he played on as a kid.

The Washington Capitals will host the Chicago Blackhawks at Nationals Park in the NHL Winter Classic. It's the first time the District has hosted the event.

Emily Mekinc produces video and writes for the Business Journal.