LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings and the National Hockey League today announced each club’s 2016-17 regular season home opener: the Kings will host the Philadelphia Flyers onFriday, October 14, at STAPLES Center.
The event will be integral part of the club’s 50th Anniversary Celebration, which concludes with the 2017 NHL® All-Star Game at STAPLES Center next January. It features a match-up of the Kings’ original opponent from the team’s very first game on the same date (October 14) in 1967 as 50 years ago this past February the NHL officially granted the Los Angeles Kings franchise as the NHL expanded from its “Original Six” to 12 teams (on February 9, 1966, six conditional franchises were granted including the Kings and the Flyers; the Kings-Flyers game in 1967 took place in the Long Beach Arena). The Kings will wear their Vintage (Gold) Jerseys that evening.
The complete 2016-17 Kings schedule will be released tomorrow, and additional details regarding Opening Night – and our 50th Anniversary — festivities will also be announced at a later time.
As NHL clubs announced their Home Openers today, one additional game involving the Kings was revealed: at San Jose on Wednesday, October 12 (which will also be the Kings’ regular season opener).
The club’s 2016 preseason schedule was announced on June 14 (http://kings.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=885962) and the Kings’ annual Training Camp begins with its first on-ice session on September 23 at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo.
Individual ticket sales information for the Home Opener and the entire 2016-17 will be released at a later date. Fans looking to secure an LA Kings ticket package for the 2016-17 season can join the Wait List now with just a $50 deposit per seat, deposits are also being accepted now for Groups of 15 or more and Event Suite rentals. Call 1.888.KINGS.LA or visit lakings.com for more info.
Additional details regarding the LA Kings’ 50th Anniversary Season:
The 2017 NHL® All-Star Game at STAPLES Center takes place with the game on January 29 serving as the highlight of All-Star Weekend (January 28-29) and features the popular NHL All-Star Skills Competition(™) and NHL Fan Fair.
A special commemorative 50th Anniversary logo was unveiled in February. That logo — which will be featured in an accompanying Kings merchandise line – will be featured at center ice at STAPLES Center to begin the 2016-17 season before it changes to the NHL All-Star Game logo near the start of the 2017 calendar year. The Kings will wear a special 50th Anniversary patch on their jerseys that entire season.
The team at a later date will also unveil a special 50th Anniversary Jersey, which will be worn by the team during various games during the 2016-17 season, and the club will wear past Kings jerseys during warm-ups at select games to benefit the Kings Care Foundation.
The Kings will host a 50th Anniversary Season Opening Weekend which will feature several fan-friendly events, special appearances by several former legendary Kings players and the Kings serving as the presenting sponsor of a charity gala. The Kings Care Foundation will soon unveil details of their new “Forever 50” program with multiple local community activations focused on three main initiatives: Education, Recreation and Health. The season itself will include several appearances by past Kings All-Star players as part of the club’s celebration of the 2017 NHL All-Star Game over the next seven-plus months.
Opening Night will also include the unveiling of a new storied monument that will exist amongst the other legendary statues outside STAPLES Center. This monument — made of bronze, granite, and glass — will serve to commemorate 50 seasons of Kings hockey and will feature a tribute to our franchise’s greatest moments and greatest players. Spanning more than 35 feet, the monument will also provide Kings Season Ticket Members the unique opportunity to have their name etched in stone by making a contribution to the Kings Care Foundation. Donors will receive their name engraved in the wall and a commemorative gift recognizing their contribution to the Kings and the Kings Care Foundation. Limited space is available.
The Kings have partnered with Heritage Werks, the leading provider of archival and heritage services for professional sports teams, major corporations, luxury and fashion brands. The Kings’ new heritage and archival program – the LA Kings Legacy Collection — will help the team honor and celebrate the players who have made the game great since 1966. Central to this program is the development of a web-based digital archive, which will be unveiled at a later date, that will help the Kings create authentic and accurate heritage programs to engage fans worldwide.
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