A press conference was held in Beijing on May 16, where representatives from the General Administration of Sport of China, the Chinese Ice Hockey Association, the Sport Bureau of Heilongjiang Province and the KHL’s Kunlun Red Star announced the launch of these three new National Ice Hockey clubs in China.

These three new national clubs will compete in international leagues to enhance the level of Chinese ice hockey. To improve the competitiveness of this club, the Sport Bureau of Heilongjiang Province will cultivate and provide the local ice-hockey talent in the region. As the first club to participate in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), HC Kunlun Red Star using their international team of experts, knowledge and resources will develop comprehensive training plans and provide competition and physical fitness, assessment, nutrition, health care, rehabilitation and other training and security system.

These new national teams will begin competing from September 2017 with the  National Women’s Club participating in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL), and the National Men’s Club going to Russia for the Russian Supreme Hockey League (VHL). As for the National Men’s Youth Club, they will compete in the Minor Hockey League (MHL) in Russia.

Source: NetEase

Proofread by Raymond Fitzpatrick