History maker He breaks new ice

Hockey prospect Kevin He's historic deal with NHL outfit the Winnipeg Jets is expected to inject fresh life into the sport's waning Olympics-inspired boom in China, as the North American league keeps tapping into the Asian market.

Almost a decade after Beijing-born Song Andong became the first Chinese player drafted by the NHL, the world's premier hockey league has introduced a new and, perhaps more serious, representative of the untapped market, after the Jets announced on Tuesday the signing of He on an entry-level contract, making him the first Chinese-born player to ever strike a pro deal in NHL.

Song, selected by the New York Islanders as the overall 172nd pick in 2015, never signed a deal, nor had any opportunities to represent the Islanders in any official NHL games.

Also born in the Chinese capital, He, an 18-year-old forward, already made his name known to hockey pundits this summer, when the Jets picked him in the fourth round at No 109 in the 2024 NHL Draft, making him the highest selection for a Chinese-born player.

He's three-year contract with the Jets is reportedly worth $975,000 in terms of average annual salary.

Currently captaining the Niagara IceDogs in the Ontario Hockey League, He's not expected to immediately join the Jets on its 2024-25 regular season roster and is allowed to, obeying the "entry-level slide", take an extended year to continue honing his game in the OHL before joining the NHL next season.

"Growing up in China, it means a lot to me and my family (to be drafted into the NHL)," He said in June after the draft. "It's incredible, a huge honor. I had a lot of fans texting me right before the draft, wishing me good luck and showing me support."

He joined the Jets' training camp in fall and suited-up for the southern Canadian franchise for the first time on Sept 22 in a preseason game, where he delivered a primary assist for forward Dominic Toninato's goal against the Edmonton Oilers.

He was then sent back to the OHL, and the momentum he carried from the Jets' camp seems to have gone with him to the IceDogs, where, as of Tuesday, he's scored 23 goals to go with 20 assists in 29 games to keep Niagara second in the Central Division standings.

He has posted 130 points (75G, 55A) in 159 OHL games with Niagara since being drafted by the Ice-Dogs in 2022 from the North York Rangers under-16 AAA team.

"Yeah, I think for me it was a huge confidence boost. Obviously, you got a taste for how it's run over there. And obviously I went to Penticton (a city in British Columbia) and had a good rookie tournament and went to camp," He told nhl.com in November about his preseason experience with the Jets.

IceDogs head coach Ben Boudreau noticed a difference in He once he came back from Jets camp.

"When you get up there, you are going to realize one of two things, how far away you are, or how close you are, and I know the reviews from Winnipeg were really good. Especially with his fitness and his conditioning. I know he got rave reviews from up there," Boudreau told nhl.com.

Winnipeg originally had a fourth-round No 123 pick in the 2024 draft, but traded that and its seventh-round pick (No 219) to the Buffalo Sabres to move up to select He, a 1.83-meter, 83-kilogram left wing.

"We felt strong enough that he wasn't going to be there if we waited much longer. Fortunately, we found an opportunity to jump up and grab him," Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said. "When someone takes so much pride in their heritage, and so much pride in their craft in the sport they want to be involved in, it says a lot about the person and the individual."

Born in downtown Beijing, He first tried his hand at skating on a small rink in a shopping mall near his home when he was four years old, influenced by his father, who used to be a speed skater. He got his first taste of organized hockey games after his family moved to Montreal when he was six.

In addition to developing hockey skills, He said he had to learn two languages when he arrived in Canada, because he mostly spoke Mandarin in Beijing. He learned French attending schools in Montreal, and English when he lived with relatives in Connecticut for several months.

When He was 12, his family moved to Toronto and he began playing elite-level junior hockey with the Rangers, where he ended up with 25 points (13G, 12A) in 16 games in the U16 AAA division before joining the IceDogs.

Speed and agility are among He's strengths, while he needs to improve his "defensive responsibilities and one-dimensional game" to meet the higher-intensity of the NHL, according to his draft projection.

"He's a dynamic skater, to say the least. When he is in full stride he's almost impossible to handle. He can get up to speed in one or two strides," Darell Woodley, OHL director of central scouting, told thehockeywriters.com.

sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn