"This is just a nice opportunity to play with and against a lot of guys I've never been on the ice with. I'm really looking forward to it."
For most of the players in the game, this is their last hurrah, especially for those on the Flyers, whose alumni team is much older than that of the Rangers.
"A lot of the Rangers we're playing are not in my generation," said Watson, whose alumni team has raised more than $2 million for local charities throughout the years. "I expected to see Harry Howell, Vic Hadfield, Rod Gilbert, some of those [older] guys, but none of them are there. But that's OK."
The Flyers will have a handful of players from their Cup championship teams, including Bobby Clarke, Reggie Leach, Bill Barber, Bob Kelly, Orest Kindrachuk and Bernie Parent. Those players are in their 60s.
They will also have former stars such as Mark Howe, Eric Lindros, John LeClair, Dave Poulin, Brian Propp, Mark Recchi, Rick Tocchet, Ken Linseman and Eric Desjardins.
Seven of the franchise's top eight scorers in history are playing.
Parent, the distinguished-looking, 66-year-old Hall of Fame goalie, originally wasn't going to play. But he was coaxed into it by fans who tweeted him, and he now plans to be in the net for about 10 minutes. He said he wants to give back to the fans and give one last wave.
"We have the most wonderful fans in the world here in Philly," Parent said, "and to have them see you on the ice one more time, that's a beautiful thing."
And besides . . .
"I'm in my prime," Parent said.
"We'll see what he says when the first shot goes past him, for God's sake," cracked Watson, who has been selling advertising signage for the Flyers' arenas since 1985.
Parent, who will wear the same mask and equipment he used in his playing days with the Flyers, said he last was in the nets two or three years ago, "when 2-year-old kids were shooting at me . . . at the carnival."
