After a day of giving back, Kings value the importance of the annual Rink Tour

Another successful day at the rinks, Insiders.

The LA Kings visited seven youth hockey practices this past weekend, as a part of their annual Rink Tours throughout Southern California. Ranging from Santa Clarita down to Palos Verdes, every Kings player was out in the community this past weekend to skate with hockey players throughout our community.

Practices attended including those with youth hockey players, both boys and girls, as well as sled hockey programs and hockey programs for players with disabilities, with players of all ages participating throughout the day. An important event every year for the Kings to participate in.

“It’s very important……everybody had somebody that drove them to the rink, it didn’t have to be mom or dad, it could be a mentor, a neighbor, everybody had somebody that bought them equipment, that somehow got them on the ice, that patted them on the back, sometimes they needed a little nudge too,” Kings Head Coach Todd McLellan said. “That’s what we’re going to tomorrow, to celebrate, and make sure that the kids understand that we all came through this too and we’re giving it back.”

For the players, it’s a part of their job that they not only accept, but embrace.

Adrian Kempe recalled back to when Peter Forsberg – one of his favorite players – skated at one of his practices when he was growing up in Sweden. For defenseman Mikey Anderson, it was when Dustin Byfuglien walked into his locker room growing up. Phillip Danault recalled skating with Antoine Vermette when he was younger, growing up in Quebec, that stood out for him.

“It’s fun to see so many kids out there from different cultures,” Kempe said. “I know what it meant for me when I was younger, when players came out and played with us. It’s fun to be out here and I think they really appreciated it.

As McLellan said, a hockey practice is something that every player on the team can relate to, regardless of age, ability or experience level.

Most of the players on the Kings were on the receiving end of a practice like this when they were growing up. Now, to be the ones giving back, is pretty cool. All of what the Kings do in the community is important, but the on-ice part is always one of the most natural and one of the most memorable.

“I think it’s awesome,” Anderson said. “We were all those little kids once, so to get to have any one of us show up at the rink when you’re a kid, it’s a day you remember for a long, long time. We’re trying to do our part to keep the game growing, so anywhere we can show up and help to give anyone a good experience, in any way, that’s part of the job and something we like to do.”

For a guy like Kevin Fiala, events like this have become commonplace for him.

Fiala has run two “Fiala’s Friends” charity camps so far this season, with plans for those to continue as schedules permit. He’s also a regular in the community here for the Kings, visiting the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and hosting kids at games throughout the season, visiting with them on his own time. He understands the importance of being out there and seeing different cultures on the ice – such as the kids from the 24 Degrees program that he skated with – and how impactful it can be.

“It means a lot,” Fiala said. “Just seeing a lot of kids our there from different communities and different cultures, it’s always nice to do stuff like this and have fun with the kids. Seeing their smiles, it’s a lot of fun. We’ve been in their shoes before, we know what it’s like to be a kid and go on the ice with players like us. I’m sure they enjoyed it as much as we did.”

For Danault and forward Pierre-Luc Dubois, they grew up in the hockey-rich province of Quebec, so events like this were more commonplace for them growing up.

Growing up in Quebec, the landscape was a little bit different than it is here, so to have opportunities like what the Kings had this weekend means a lot for Danault and Dubois.

Danault – It’s always fun to give back. We’ve all been there, helping kids like this and they were pretty good actually. Just to see the smiles on their faces, that’s what hooks them to the game. They want to get better, they want to have fun. For me, it was the best time of my life when I was younger, playing hockey, these guys were definitely a big part of my journey.

Dubois – Part of our job is to go out there and play hockey, but also to help out in any way we can. There’s going to be new players in the league every year and hopefully one day we get to see some of the kids that we helped out there. Even if we don’t, then hopefully we can inspire some of them to have fun, work hard and try their best. A really fun experience.

A great day for everyone on the ice and a great day of community impact.

for what was just a few hours of time out of everyone’s day, a lot of lives were touched and that’s part of the power of being an NHL franchise. In the grind of a season, days like Saturday are important. Not just for the organization, not just for the community, but for the players as well.

Englund speaks on the annual @WeAreAllKings Rink Tour 🖤🤍@LAKings | #LAKingsLive pic.twitter.com/ug7SZMjdpd

— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) December 4, 2023