Back in July, the Kings announced an alumni team would play a Russian All-Star squad as part of September’s Hockey Fest celebration.
Now, the game is off.
On Wednesday, the Kings issued the following statement:
The Los Angeles Kings Alumni Game against the Russian All-Star team on Sunday as part of Kings Hockey Fest 2014 presented by Pizza Hut has been changed, the club announced today.
Due to circumstances beyond the club’s control, the Russian All-Stars are unable to play. The Kings apologize for any inconvenience.
PHT reached out to the Kings’ communication department for further explanation, and the club responded by saying the All-Stars “would not be able to participate because of unexpected travel issues.”
The Russian roster -- which was first announced in July -- featured a number of ex-NHLers, including Alexei Yashin, Slava Fetisov, Valeri and Pavel Bure, Darius Kasparitis and Alex Kovalev.
The Kings alumni, which includes Hockey Hall of Famers Luc Robitaille and Rob Blake, will now face a squad comprised of L.A. City Fire Department and L.A. County Fire Department members.