Late Wednesday night on the East Coast, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced the league would play two preseason games in China this upcoming September.
Los Angeles Kings, Vancouver Canucks to play 2 preseason games in China next season
The NHL will play a game of hockey in China for the first time this September.
Photo by Harry How/Getty Images
The 2017 NHL China Games, the official name given by the NHL, will feature two games between the Los Angeles Kings and the Vancouver Canucks. The games will be played on Sept. 21 and 23, in Shanghai’s Mercedes-Benz Arena and Beijing’s Huaxi LIVE Wukesong Le Sports Center respectively.
You can watch part of Bettman’s comments to the media in Shanghai where he broke the news.
“This is an historic moment for the National Hockey League,” Commissioner Bettman said. “I am honored to announce the 2017 NHL China Games, presented by O.R.G. Packaging.”
For years, it seemed that the NHL wanted to get a foothold in China. With the KHL expanding into China, hockey already has a core fanbase. Considering the 2022 Winter Olympics will be held in Beijing, it makes sense that the NHL is attempting to expand the sport into an untapped market.
However, the NHL has still yet to be confirmed for the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, which could throw their future plans for Olympic participation into question.
See More:
