Home » Sports » Ice Hockey
NHL to stage preseason games in China
Print Edition
THE NHL will play its first games in China this fall when the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks meet in Beijing and Shanghai.
The preseason games will take place on September 21 in Shanghai and September 23 in Beijing, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said yesterday.
China is expected to be a large focus of the league’s international ventures. Next season, the NHL is playing two regular-season games in Sweden between the Colorado Avalanche and Ottawa Senators.
Bettman called it a historic moment for the league and said the NHL’s commitment to China goes beyond the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. He and other league officials have said it’s a long-term arrangement with China that also includes contributions to growing grassroots hockey in the country.
“While we fully understand the priority the government has placed on high-level performance by the sports teams representing China at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games here in Beijing, our commitment to the growth of hockey in China involves partnerships that will extend well beyond the few weeks of the 2022 Olympic Winter Games themselves,” Bettman said. “This is the beginning of what we believe will be a very long-term relationship, and the two NHL clubs participating in this inaugural effort are perfectly suited for their roles.”
NHL Players’ Association special assistant to the executive director Mathieu Schneider said players have reached out to him to express interest in going to China and helping teach the game there. The Canucks, Kings, Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, Toronto Maple Leafs and Washington Capitals have already conducted camps for young Chinese players.
“Right here in China, the NHLPA and the NHL have an amazing opportunity to grow the game of hockey,” Schneider said. “It is clear from our meetings with various officials in China that they share the same passion to grow the game of hockey as we do.”
NHL is the latest sports body to test the waters in China amid growing interest in competitive sport. No Chinese has ever played in the NHL and the game has a limited following.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
