In a case of blatant cross-promotion that is bordering on heresy, the NHL announced the entertainment lineup for the opening ceremonies for the 2016 Winter Classic and Rene Rancourt won’t be singing the anthem before the game begins, as he has done for the Boston Bruins for 40 years. Instead, that honor will go to Jordan Smith, the ‘vocalist’ who won season nine of NBC’s singing competition ‘The Voice.’
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Smith is 22 years old and hails from Kentucky. When he was born, Rancourt had already been delighting Bruins fans for 18 years.