Hershey Bears announce Outdoor Alumni Game against Philadelphia Flyers Alumni

Thursday morning the Hershey Bears announced the 2018 AHL Outdoor Classic Alumni Game will be between the Philadelphia Flyers Alumni and the Hershey Bears Alumni on January 19, 2018.

Former Flyers and fan favorites Eric Lindros, Danny Briere, and John LeClair will take on Bears legends like Graham Mink, Dean Arsene, and Freddie Cassivi the day before the 2018 AHL Outdoor Classic between the Flyers AHL affiliate, Lehigh Valley, and Hershey.

In 2013, the Bears alumni faced off against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins alumni in an entertaining match.

Dennis Bonvie, who played for the Penguins in the 2013 game, will jump to the Bears side for this season, along with players like Greg Amadio, Pascal Trepanier, and current Bears VP of hockey operations Bryan Helmer.

“We can’t wait to welcome back some of the all-time greats in Hershey history, and we’re thrilled to partner with the Philadelphia Flyers Alumni Association,” said Hershey Vice President of Hockey Operations Bryan Helmer in a press release. “With the Bears and Phantoms both having current and past ties to the Flyers, we saw this as a chance to bring some exciting NHL stars to our loyal fans while celebrating our history.”

The Flyers will feature Bernie Parent and Paul Holmgren as coaches, with players like Riley Cote, Bob Kelly, Tim Kerr, Brian Propp, Jeff Chychrun, Larry Goodenough, Joe Watson and Neil Little all sporting the Black and Orange.

“The Philadelphia Flyers Alumni Association is proud to partner with the Hershey Bears for the 2018 Capital BlueCross Outdoor Classic Alumni Game,” said Brad Marsh, President of the Flyers Alumni Association said in the same press release. “The AHL has played a large role in developing many members of the Flyers, and many members of our Alumni Association. We’re excited to play in front of the dedicated and passionate fans in Hershey, and we look forward to taking the ice versus the Bears.”

The full rosters will be released at a later date.

PRESS RELEASE:

(Hershey, PA- October 19, 2017)-The Hershey Bears have partnered with the Philadelphia Flyers Alumni Association to announce the 2018 Capital BlueCross Outdoor Classic Alumni Game, set to take place at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19 at Hersheypark Stadium. The game will feature former NHL stars including Hockey Hall of Famer Eric Lindros, Danny Briere, John LeClair, and Kimmo Timonen skating for the Flyers Alumni, and going head-to-head against many fan-favorite Hershey Bears alumni.

The Alumni Game is part of festivities for the 2018 Capital BlueCross Outdoor Classic, which features the Bears hosting the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Saturday, Jan. 20 at Hersheypark Stadium. The Alumni Game is included in ticket packages for the 2018 Capital BlueCross Outdoor Classic, which are on sale now at the Giant Center Box Office, by calling 717-534-3911, or online via Ticketmaster. Ticket packages start at just $59.

Confirmed members of the Flyers Alumni Association who will play in the 2018 Capital BlueCross Outdoor Classic Alumni Game includes recent stars Eric Lindros, Danny Briere, John LeClair, and Kimmo Timonen. Lindros, 44, was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2016. The former MVP and member of the “Legion of Doom” line was one of the NHL’s brightest stars, scoring 865 points in 760 career games. His number 88 is being retired by the Flyers in January.

In addition to recent stars, several Stanley Cup Champions and former Bears will skate for the Flyers Alumni Association, including forwards Arron Asham, Terry Carkner, Riley Cote, Todd Fedoruk, Bob Kelly, Tim Kerr, Brian Propp, as well as defenders Doug Crossman, Jeff Chychrun, Larry Goodenough, Brad Marsh, and Joe Watson, who will play at 74 years of age. In goal, former Bear Neil Little is confirmed to play for the Flyers, while Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender Bernie Parent, along with Paul Holmgren, will serve as coaches.

For the Hershey Alumni, fans will have an opportunity to welcome back many of the best players to ever wear the Chocolate and White. Confirmed participants include Greg Amadio, Dennis Bonvie, Freddy Cassivi, Bryan Helmer, Graham Mink, and Pascal Trepanier.

“We can’t wait to welcome back some of the all-time greats in Hershey history, and we’re thrilled to partner with the Philadelphia Flyers Alumni Association,” said Hershey Vice President of Hockey Operations Bryan Helmer. “With the Bears and Phantoms both having current and past ties to the Flyers, we saw this as a chance to bring some exciting NHL stars to our loyal fans while celebrating our history. The Phantoms are still working on building an alumni following, and the Flyers Alumni Association is very active in the local community, so we saw this as a perfect fit to add even more excitement to the can’t-miss event of our 80th Anniversary Season.”

The Flyers Alumni Association features many ties to Hershey and the AHL. The Flyers were affiliated with the Bears from 1984-1996, and numerous players started their professional careers in Central Pennsylvania before advancing to the NHL. The Phantoms, Hershey’s opponent in the 2018 Capital BlueCross Outdoor Classic, currently serve as the AHL affiliate of the Flyers.

“The Philadelphia Flyers Alumni Association is proud to partner with the Hershey Bears for the 2018 Capital BlueCross Outdoor Classic Alumni Game,” said Brad Marsh, President of the Flyers Alumni Association. “The AHL has played a large role in developing many members of the Flyers, and many members of our Alumni Association. We’re excited to play in front of the dedicated and passionate fans in Hershey, and we look forward to taking the ice versus the Bears.”

All players scheduled to participate in the 2018 Capital BlueCross Outdoor Classic Alumni Game are subject to change. Complete rosters for both the Flyers Alumni Association and the Hershey Bears Alumni will be announced in the coming months.