Advertisement

Wayne Gretzky to serve as captain in Bakersfield outdoor alumni game

Josh Cooper
WINNIPEG, MB - OCTOBER 22: Wayne Gretzky #99 of the Edmonton Oilers alumni plays in the 2016 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic Alumni Game against the Winnipeg Jets alumni at Investors Group Field on October 22, 2016 in Winnipeg, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)
Wayne Gretzky of the Edmonton Oilers alumni plays in the 2016 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic Alumni Game against the Winnipeg Jets alumni at Investors Group Field on October 22, 2016 in Winnipeg, Canada. (Getty Images)

Wayne Gretzky will serve as captain of an NHL alumni/celebrity team for an outdoor game on Friday, Jan. 6 at Bakersfield College’s Memorial Stadium.

This game will be played in advance of a Saturday, Jan. 7 outdoor game between the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors and Ontario Reign. Kings president of business operations Luc Robitaille will captain the other team.

Gretzky had hinted that the 2016 Heritage Classic was going to be his last game outdoor alumni game, but since then it was announced he would play for the St. Louis Blues alumni in their Winter Classic game against the Chicago Blackhawks alumni.

[Join a Yahoo Daily Fantasy Hockey contest now]

No other participants were divulged, though in an interview produced by the Condors, Robitaille said Los Angeles assistant general manager Rob Blake will join the game. More names will be announced on Dec. 21.

Gretzky was recently named partner and vice chair of Oilers Entertainment Group and is also the NHL’s Centennial Ambassador for its 100th anniversary season.

“The success of the (California) NHL clubs has been very positive, but the American Hockey League teams in cities like Bakersfield and Ontario have elevated the sport that much higher and made it even more popular,” Gretzky said in a statement. “It’s great to see a city like Bakersfield with people who are excited about watching hockey and have gravitated to these players that one day will play in the National Hockey League.”

[Follow Puck Daddy on Facebook]

Said Robitaille, “This will bring new fans who may have seen only one or two hockey games, or maybe have never seen a hockey game. They’ll go see it (the Alumni Game and the Outdoor Classic) and it is a lot of fun to be part of it. That’s why we do this. To bring new people and give them an opportunity to enjoy the game that we love.”

This is the second consecutive season AHL teams have taken part in an outdoor game in California. Last year the Condors played the Stockton Heat at Raley Field in Sacramento, though there was no celebrity/alumni game before that event.

– – – – – – –

Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

MORE FROM YAHOO SPORTS