In addition to hosting the Heat, the team’s release states that the venue will serve Reseda and the greater Los Angeles community, including the students at the neighboring Magnolia Science Academy, with public skating sessions, learn-to-skate lessons, Little Kings learn-to-play programming, and more events throughout the year. The facility will also host select games in the LA Kings High School Hockey League.
A multi-purpose place that will hopefully be the first of multiple rinks to open in that area. In time, hopefully, this is just the rink we’re talking about today.
Hockey in the Valley has a proud tradition and the Kings fanbase has a lot of roots there. Tons of Kings fans come to games from the Valley. The Kings used to have their practice facility out that way and they already operate multiple rinks in that area. It’s important to offer more opportunities to kids to be able to play and grow the game. For that to happen, there needs to be an appropriate amount of ice.
Per USA Hockey’s membership statistics, California had over 32,000 registered players during the 2025-26 season. Year-over-year, that’s a growth of a few hundred players but over the last ten years, it’s a few thousand. For those numbers to continue to grow, the ice sheets have to exist. That’s why the Kings are hopeful to find new places to build rinks, continuing to grow the game in California.
“It’s really important,” Robitaille said. “In Santa Clarita, that rink is booming. Simi Valley too. So, we certainly know there could be three or four more rinks open in the next few years. That’s why we worked really hard keeping Burbank open a few years back and we’re going to keep looking. I mean, this is good for the development of the game and it’s great for kids just to have a place to go play that’s safe.”
With the USHL set to begin play on the West Coast, bringing Tier-One junior hockey to California, there is even more opportunity to bring new rinks to the area. Those help to accommodate Tier-1 junior hockey, but there are tons of benefits alongside it, all the way down to the youth programs.
Included in that group will be a team in Simi Valley, as well as teams in Orange County and San Diego. In time, the Simi Valley team will likely pursue additional rinks, which will continue to open up opportunities for hockey in the area.
“We know Tier-1 hockey is coming, so because of that, we’ll be able to maybe push and be able to hopefully open a few more rinks,” Robitaille added. “We certainly are always looking, talking to everyone involved. We’ll keep talking with cities and see where we can get involved and help.”
For more on LA Kings Ice Reseda, visit https://resedaice.lacity.gov/.