The Kings have teamed up with a vast array of celebrities, former pro hockey players and first responders as well as some 17 sponsorship partners to organize a benefit event for the LA Fire Relief Fund on Feb. 23 at Crypto.com Arena.
“Skate for LA Strong” will feature a four-team exhibition tournament with participants headlined by Will Ferrell, who is perhaps the closest thing the Kings have to a Jack Nicholson-type figure among their fans. Vince Vaughn, 80-year-old Danny DeVito, Erin Andrews and Taye Diggs will also be among the entertainment personalities taking the ice for the cause.
There’ll also be hockey pros in their midst, of course. Hall of Famers like Teemu Selanne, Mark Messier, Cammi Granato and even Kings GM Rob Blake will lace up their skates, as will former Stanley Cup-winning Kings such as Jeff Carter and Jarret Stoll. Seven first responders from six different emergency entities will also take part in the action.
“We are overwhelmed by the support we have received from the NHL and our Broadcasting Family … and by the willingness of so many friends, industry colleagues and so many throughout the NHL family who are eagerly joining us to create this platform to help those who have been decimated by this tragedy,” Kings executive and Hall of Fame winger Luc Robitaille said.
“We have seen so much being done to help, but the work doesn’t stop. We all believe we must keep doing everything in our power to help these victims and displaced families recover and rebuild their lives. We expect this to be a celebration of our city and an opportunity for us to continue to do all we can to bring some joy and light back into the lives of so many who have lost so much.”
In addition to the three-game exhibition tournament, which will unfold on the afternoon after the Kings return from the ongoing 4 Nations Face-Off break, there will also be live music performances, the details of which have yet to be confirmed.
No tickets will be sold for the event. Instead they are being distributed to first responders and victims of the unprecedentedly severe fires that cost a record amount of property damage and displaced thousands of residents in January.
“We spoke to [NHL] commissioner [Gary] Bettman and said instead of donating money, let’s do something that’s [even more] impactful,” Robitaille told TNT. “The idea is to get as many people into the building as possible. We’re going to try to get first responders and their families in as a thank-you, and then evacuated families … we’re going to bring them in, too.”