New York (AFP) – Kevin He became the first Chinese-born player to sign a deal with an NHL club when the 18-year-old forward inked an entry-level contract with the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday. Beijing-born He became the highest Chinese-born player taken in the NHL Draft when he was selected 109th overall in the fourth round this year by the Jets, who made a trade with Buffalo to jump 14 spots in the draft to take him.
“It’s a dream come true,” He said of being drafted by the Jets. “It’s incredible, a huge honor.” He now plays in the junior ranks for Niagara of the Ontario Hockey League, where he has 23 goals and 20 assists over 29 games.
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“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,” Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said. “If it can turn out to be a great story, that’s secondary. It’s always nice to see the diversity in the game and help maybe grow the game more. It would be a great story if he can continue to make that next step.”
The Jets are the NHL overall leaders so far this season with 45 points off 22 wins, nine losses, and one overtime loss. He said his father took him skating at small rinks at age four, and He began organized hockey when he was six after his family moved to Montreal. When He was 12, his family moved to Toronto, giving him the chance to play in elite youth leagues, and he was taken by Niagara in a 2022 junior draft.
The first China-born player taken in the NHL Draft was Andong Song by the New York Islanders in the sixth round, 172nd overall, in the 2015 NHL Draft, but Song never signed an entry-level deal.
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