In the midst of the NHL preseason, the Vancouver Canucks and Los Angeles Kings are on the verge of making league history. This week, the Canucks and Kings will play two preseason games in China, marking the NHL’s first official foray into the country as a part of the 2017 NHL China Games.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Kings-Canucks preseason games in China
The NHL will play their first ever games in China this week.
Photo by Harry How/Getty Images
The NHL announced the initiative back in March in partnership with Bloomage International and O.R.G. Packaging, along with the NHL Players Association.
With the pair of games in sight, the NHL has since pushed hard in getting the word out about them. Not every player on the Canucks and Kings roster will play in these games, but the stars are out in full force as the NHL ramps up for an exciting week of international hockey.
Here’s everything you need to know about the 2017 NHL China Games, whether you’re a Canucks fan, a Kings fan, or just a casual hockey observer.
Has the NHL played internationally before?
They have! However, it’s been a few years since the NHL officially sanctioned games overseas. The last time the NHL played outside of North America, the Ducks, Kings, Sabres, and Rangers all participated in the 2011 NHL Premiere. The week-long run kickstarted their regular season schedules in Sweden, Finland, and Germany, while also allowing the teams to play exhibition matches against other European nations in the surrounding area.
The NHL has also played games in the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Ireland, Latvia, Slovakia, England, Puerto Rico, and Japan within the last 17 years. The tradition, however, dates back to the 1930s, where the Red Wings and Canadiens played in England and France over the course of three weeks.
Since, there’s been a multitude of NHL games across the world and a handful of teams have held youth hockey camps in China, but this week will see the first official games played there.
Why is China important to the NHL?
The answer is really two-fold. First, the NHL would love a foothold in the most populous country in the entire world. Hockey has found popularity in Europe and Canada, but league commissioner Gary Bettman made it clear back in March that he’d like to add China to that list, emphasis ours.
“The 2017 NHL China Games presented by O.R.G. Packaging represent the formal launch of what we hope will be a long and successful collaboration between our League, our teams and our partners in accelerating the development of hockey in China,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said, “We look forward to our first games in China and to a variety of initiatives that will inspire generations of Chinese players and fans to enjoy our sport. We recognize the importance of helping China build a strong national hockey program and are committed to supporting that priority in every way possible.”
The KHL, the NHL’s direct competition in Russia, established a team, the Kunlun Red Star, in China back in 2016. The Canadian Women’s Hockey League will also field their own Kunlun Red Star team after they announced that they too will have a foothold in China for the upcoming season.
With two major hockey leagues already gaining ground in China, the 2017 NHL China Games aren’t likely the last we’ll see of the NHL there.
So, what is the second reason?
A pesky little thing called the Olympics. The NHL won’t be going to Pyeongchang for the 2018 Winter Olympics, but they still plan on playing in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Of course, that has yet to be determined by the International Olympic Committee and the NHLPA. Still, the NHL is using the 2017 NHL China Games as a precursor to the Olympic Games in five years. The fanfare the league is promoting is just the start of a five-year hype tour for the NHL in China. The country is a relatively untapped hockey market, and the NHL is already a season behind the KHL and CWHL in drumming up support.
Population is also a factor here. China holds over 1.3 billion people compared to South Korea’s 51 million. The NHL sees bigger potential for growth in China, so they’re concentrating all their efforts on a larger market than South Korea.
It also helps that one of the two preseason games to be played this week will be held in Beijing, the site of the 2022 Olympics.
How can we watch the 2017 NHL China Games?
You’ll need to get up real early — or stay up real late depending on your preferences — to watch these two games. The first will be held Thursday morning at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai, where fans can tune in at 7:30 a.m. ET on NBCSN, SportsNet, or TVA Sports.
Saturday’s game, to be held at Wukesong Arena in Beijing, is scheduled for 3:30 a.m. ET on NHL Network, SportsNet, or TVA Sports.
You can also check out the rosters for the Canucks and Kings at their respective websites leading up to the games.
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