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Nokia Theatre welcomes Hockey Fest 09 attendees. Angel Magaña/LAist
Hockey fans from all corners of the Greater L.A. area -- and beyond -- headed to L.A. Live this past weekend to take in the inaugural L.A. Kings Hockey Fest 09. The three day event kicked off on Friday night and included a variety of events throughout the weekend featuring both current and past Kings players.
With training camp less than two weeks away, fans were eager to get their first looks at the current squad and find out what the team has in store for the upcoming season. The energy amongst the crowd seemed to radiate a certain optimism about the new campaign. A general sense that good things are forthcoming could be sensed amongst the purple-and-black faithful and fans demonstrated it on Friday night during the much anticipated team and alumni introductions. As the weekend progressed, fans were treated to events, activities and speaking engagements that helped generate further excitement.
Former Kings goalie Kelly Hrudey joined fellow alumnus Jim Fox and Ray Ferraro to discuss the current state of the NHL. Some highlights of note to Kings fans involved the analysis of the impact of the salary cap on the league as a whole and how it has the potential to help teams like the Kings succeed within a short time frame. Additional points included the panel's belief that L.A. is in the midst of an upswing and are building a solid team, highlighted by Fox stating "we got bad for a while and now we are on our way up" to which he later added "the Kings have looked 4 or 5 years down the road." The panel touched on other topics, including officiating, fighting, Sean Avery and other matters. But not all was serious business, especially during the Q & A session where fans got an opportunity to pose questions to the players.
Hrudey shared his story behind his famous headband, while Ferraro shared a comical story of how Luc Robitaille got him to give up the #20 jersey with a trip to Hawaii that Ferraro later discovered didn't cost Robitaille a cent. Overall, it was a great discussion which demonstrated not only their knowledge of the game and league, but also underscored their respect for it, the league, its culture and most importantly, its fans.
Afterwards, Hrudey -- a longtime fan favorite -- shared his thoughts on coming back to L.A. after so many years. "My time here was probably the biggest growth of my life professionally and personally" stated Hrudey, before going on to discuss the trade that brought him to L.A., then adding "...I came here and immediately had fallen in love with the area, the team and just the hype around it." Hrudey did not get to play at Staples Center, but has fond memories of The Forum, stating "It had a real atmosphere, especially when Wayne was here," going as far as comparing it to famed venues like the Toronto Maple Leaf Gardens.
As the weekend progressed, additional panels provided fans with some insight into some intricacies of the game, the team's plans and a retrospect on Bob Miller's career. Fans took the opportunity to ask very pointed questions of Kings management regarding prospects, potential moves as well as thanking them for their candor and honest answers. The big draw, however, was Saturday's re-unification of the Triple Crown Line on its 30th anniversary of first having taken to the ice.
The charismatic trio of Marcel Dionne, Charlie Simmer and Dave Taylor recounted tales touching on how they came together, their chemistry and their conquests. Dionne shared a scary, yet funny, story of a death threat he received in Pittsburgh to be carried out if he scored against the Penguins. His concern over the matter would later lead him to hide behind the much taller Taylor and Simmer in his post goal celebration, with the latter two completely oblivious as to the reasons for his behavior. Fans laughed and showed their gratitude for the former Kings greats throughout the discussion. Conversely, the trio's appreciation was noticeable and clearly conveyed.
Simultaneous to the speaking sessions, fans were welcome to enjoy autograph sessions with various players. An impressive collection of trophies and awards were proudly on display for close observation and other booths allowed attendees to play the role of an NHL squad member. Overall, it was a great event by the Kings that surely helped build more excitement for the upcoming season.
Kudos to AEG and the entire Kings organization for putting on a great event.
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Great job!