Robin Thicke is going to deliver what is destined to be an emotional tribute to his late father, Alan Thicke, at the NHL 100 Gala on Jan. 27, TheWrap has learned.
The “Blurred Lines” singer will honor the “Growing Pains” star who died suddenly on Dec. 13 while watching his youngest son, Carter, play hockey in Burbank, California.
To honor his hockey-loving Canadian-born dad, Robin will present a special “In Memoriam” that pays tribute to the late members of the 100 Greatest NHL Players, during which John Ondrasik of Five for Fighting will perform.
“Mad Men” star — and St. Louis Blues fanatic — Jon Hamm will host the NHL 100 Gala, with 10-time Grammy winner John Legend also making an appearance.
“We are thrilled to add John Legend, John Ondrasik and Robin Thicke to the NHL 100,” Steve Mayer, NHL Chief Content Officer and Executive Vice President, said in a statement Thursday. “We have an incredibly special night planned to honor not only the players that have transformed the NHL in its 100-year history, but also a longtime friend of the League and passionate hockey fan in Alan Thicke.”
A full lineup of 2017 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend special appearances and musical performances from downtown Los Angeles will be announced in the coming days.
The NHL announced last year that the City of Angels and home of the L.A. Kings would host hockey’s biggest weekend.
The League’s mid-season showcase will take place Saturday, Jan. 28 and Sunday, Jan. 29 and will include the NHL All-Star Skills Competition and the NHL All-Star Game.
This marks the third time the NHL All-Star activities will take place in L.A. The Kings previously hosted the NHL All-Star Game in 1981 and 2002. The 2016 NHL All-Star weekend was held in Nashville, Tennessee.
Alan Thicke’s death at age 69 was caused as a “ruptured aorta” and a “standard type A aortic dissection,” according to his death certificate.
Thicke was honored at a memorial in Santa Barbara, California, last month, which was attended by “Growing Pains” alumni including Leonardo DiCaprio, Kirk Cameron, Tracey Gold, Joanna Kerns and Jeremy Miller, along with other stars such as Kris Jenner, Bob Saget, Bill Maher, Alex Trebek and Rob Lowe.
After news of his father’s death broke, Robin Thicke called him “the best man I ever knew. The best friend I ever had.”