USA Hockey Foundation

The chill in the air and loss of leaves is the first sign for many golfers to start putting the clubs away. For NHL stars, the arrival of the hockey season puts an earlier end to the greens. But this year, the Los Angeles Kings managed to sneak in one last round before defeating the Colorado Avalanche in a 2-1 preseason shootout showdown at the World Arena.

Members of the Kings team and organization took part in the Battle at the Broadmoor Celebrity Golf Tournament this past fall in Colorado Springs. Together they raised $50,000 for the USA Hockey Foundation.

“I don’t know that I can say I did well, but we had fun. That’s what was important,” Kings President of Business Operations Luc Robitaille said with a laugh when asked about his golf game that day. “It was a beautiful day and a lot of fun, capped off with raising a lot of money to help grow our game.”

Robitaille has seen first-hand the benefits USA Hockey and the Foundation have provided to grow the game across the United States. He previously played 14 seasons with the Kings in the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. Robitaille says there was a rise in popularity of the game in Southern California then, but it’s nothing compared to today.

“There was a huge growth of hockey (in Los Angeles) when Wayne Gretzky came on board,” said Robitaille, whose Kings have won two Stanley Cups in the past three seasons. “But I would say that the growth we are seeing in L.A. now is even more impressive.

“We have three teams in California (in San Jose, L.A. and Anaheim) doing really well and we’re seeing an even bigger increased demand from kids wanting to play. That’s something that’s really important to us and to our organization and the game as a whole.”

Robitaille says being a part of that growth in the game is what makes the partnership with USA Hockey and the USA Hockey Foundation so vital.

“When USA Hockey gets involved with our youth programs (in L.A.), our kids love it,” he said. “Whether it’s helping us with equipment or helping our coaches, it’s important to have them by our side through all of it.

“You look at (USA Hockey) and you see how many great American players there are now. I think anytime you have the opportunity to keep pushing the game, that’s the only way we’re going to have growth and USA Hockey, and all the teams in the NHL are helping do that.”

To help be a part of the growth in hockey, visit and donate at usahockeyfoundation.com