California Rubber

California’s and Nevada’s Authoritative Voice of Ice and Inline Hockey

Los Angeles chosen to host 2017 NHL All-Star Game

 

The National Hockey League announced over the weekend the selection of the Los Angeles Kings, Staples Center and the city of Los Angeles as hosts of the 2017 NHL All-Star celebration.

The league’s mid-season showcase will take place Saturday, Jan. 28 and Sunday, Jan. 29 and will include the NHL All-Star Skills Competition and the game itself.

The 2017 NHL All-Star Game will be the third time the NHL All-Star activities will take place in Los Angeles. The Kings previously hosted the NHL All-Star Game in 1981 and 2002.

Representing the Kings at the announcement, which was made by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, were Kings alternate governor Dan Beckerman, president of business operations Luc Robitaille, chief operating officer Kelly Cheeseman, head coach Darryl Sutter, goaltender Jonathan Quick and defenseman Drew Doughty.

Doughty, Quick and Sutter played in the 2016 game in Nashville.

“We are thrilled that the Kings and Staples Center will host such a fantastic event in 2017 and the weekend will be one of the true highlights of our 50th Anniversary season,” said Beckerman. “We want to thank commissioner Gary Bettman and the NHL for this opportunity – the second NHL All-Star Game to be played at Staples Center and the first since our LA LIVE campus opened. We will put forth all of our resources to truly make it a special game and weekend for both the hockey and sports community.”

Said Robitaille, an eight-time All-Star with the Kings: “Today’s announcement is tremendous news for our fans and for our entire club. This means so much. Hockey in Southern California continues to grow at an incredible rate and this is another opportunity for the LA Kings to help grow this great game, one that we love, while also putting on a great show and giving a popular NHL event a special Los Angeles flair. Our fans are going to be thrilled –- an event like this truly is a spectacle — and it is a great way to help cap our 50th anniversary celebration, which will begin very soon.”

This marks the second time the event has been held at Staples Center (2002). That season, the Kings were represented by Ziggy Palffy and Jarsolav Modry. In 1981, the game was held at the Forum and the Kings were represented by the “Triple Crown Line” of Marcel Dionne, Charlie Simmer and Dave Taylor, and Mario Lessard.

The event in 2017 will also mark the fifth major NHL event to be held in Los Angeles, joining the NHL Stadium Series game against the Anaheim Ducks at Dodger Stadium (2013) and the NHL Entry Draft at Staples Center (2010).

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