TRAVERSE CITY – Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland is looking forward to a rare opportunity to break out his old goaltending equipment and get between the pipes Saturday night.

Coach Mike Babcock isn't quite as enthusiastic about getting out from behind the bench and taking the ice.

Holland, Babcock, several former players as well as front-office and staff members will be participating in an alumni/celebrity charity game Saturday night at Centre I.C.E.

The lineups feature several former Red Wings, including Kris Draper, Kirk Maltby, Chris Chelios, Chris Osgood, Jiri Fischer, Dallas Drake, Mark Howe and Mickey Redmond.

Holland, 57, also is a former Red Wings player, having appeared in three games in 1983-84 during the midst of an eight-year AHL career. He also played one game for the Hartford Whalers in 1980-81.

He had donned the equipment only four or five times in the past 20 years before practicing on Thursday.

“It was a chore just trying to figure out how to dress again; took me a little longer than it normally does,'' Holland said. “But (Saturday) is going to be a lot of fun. It's a sold-out crowd, it's for a good cause, to raise money for the local arena.

“Being on the ice with Cheli, Ozzie, Draper, Malts and Fisch, it's going to be a good night.''

Holland still has most of his equipment from 1985, his last year as a pro with the Adirondack Red Wings.

“Same pads, same helmet/mask, stick,'' he said. “I use Osgood's glove and I use my son's upper-body protector.''

Goalie pads in those days were narrow and small.

“There's lots of net (to shoot at),'' he said.

He acknowledged the potential for being lit up, having to face several players only a few years removed from retirement.

“Draper flies around at 100 miles an hour, so for me it's going to be all angles and protractors, just stand 'em up and cut 'em down,'' Holland said. “I don't know how to do the butterfly and I'd probably pull a groin if I did do a butterfly.

“One team looks like it's stacked, with Chelios, Maltby, Draper, Fischer. We're trying to make a major trade to level the playing field.''

Whatever transpires, he'll enjoy it.

“When it's as big a part of your life as it is for me from about 8 years old to 28 years of age, being able to put the equipment on and go on the ice is good exercise and it's fun,'' Holland said.

Babcock, a defenseman for McGill University back in the day, didn't seem to share that enthusiasm.

“It (his excitement level) is at an all-time low,'' Babcock said. “You know how sore my hip flexors and groins are, even after a little glide around the ice? It will not be one of my all-time highlights, probably.''

Here are the teams, subject to change, as posted on Centreice.org:

RED TEAM



Goalies: Ken Holland, Chris Osgood.

Skaters: Hakan Andersson, Mike Babcock, Todd Beam, Kevin Clark, Ken Daniels, Andrew Dickson, Dallas Drake, Jeff Finley, Jiri Fischer, Mark Howe, Sam Lites, Keith McKittrick, Glenn Merkosky, Phil Pierce, Marty Stein, Piet Van Zant, Tyler Wright.

Coach: Bruce Haralson.

WHITE TEAM



Goalies: Jim Bedard, Jeff Blashill.

Skaters: Eddie Ascione, Spiros Anastas, Brad "Dogg" Thompson, Chris Chelios, Kris Draper, Kelly Harper, Vladi Havlaj, Ken Kal, Kirk Maltby, Ryan Martin, Jim Paek, Bill Peters, Len Quesnelle, Mickey Redmond, Ari Vuori.

Coach: Tom Renney.