The NHL is staging more exhibition games in China this fall
Joakim Nordstrom Jersey Womens , hoping to make further inroads in establishing hockey as a sport in the world’s most populous nation.The Boston
Bruins and Calgary Flames will face off Sept. 15 in Shenzhen in southeast China
and then again Sept. 19 in Beijing in the second incarnation of the China
Games.The Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks played preseason games in
Shanghai and Beijing last September, the NHL’s first foray there.China
represents an as-yet untapped resource for the NHL, especially ahead of the 2022
Winter Olympics in Beijing.Commissioner Gary Bettman has so far been
noncommittal about the NHL going to the 2022 Games after skipping South Korea
this year, but the work is already underway in China, where the NBA has had a
presence for decades.”I think there is an enthusiasm to grow the sport, first at
the grassroots level, but I think bringing games there and bringing NHL teams
there and NHL players helps kind of support the story from the top down, as
well,” deputy commissioner Bill Daly told The Associated Press by phone
Wednesday.”It’s really a two-pronged approach where you’re trying to build
hockey infrastructure in a society that’s never really had any and then in order
to drive that
Tyler Graovac Jersey Womens , you’re bringing hockey at its highest level so that people can appreciate what the sport can look like.”Growing youth hockey
and bringing NHL games to China is the plan, but from the league’s perspective,
it’s not a three-pronged approach tied to Olympic participation.”I was there in
the spring and we had lots of discussions with officials at all levels to talk
about the development of hockey and how we can work together, and those are
things that we’re working on,” Bettman said last month.”Not once did we get
asked about the Olympics in 2022. I’m not sure if we’re helping develop the game
particularly at the grassroots level and giving them our software, if you will,
whether or not we play for two weeks makes a difference.”The league is working
with local authorities to develop hockey programs as the government of the
country with a population of 1.3 billion aims to have 300 million participants
in winter sports by 2022. The Bruins made visits each of the past two summers to
participate in hockey camps.”Over the past three years we have collaborated with
(businessman Zhou Yunjie) on growing the game both within the Chinese community
in Boston and with youth hockey players in China,” Bruins president Cam Neely
said.”We look forward to continuing these efforts by bringing Bruins hockey to
China with these two preseason games.”Shenzhen’s location close to Hong Kong,
its burgeoning population and its world-class facility that’s home to the two
China-based Canadian Women’s Hockey League teams made it a natural fit along
with Beijing for NHL preseason action. More cities are in the running in the
future
Noah Hanifin Jersey Womens , which could at some point include regular-season games.”Part of it is exposing the sport in different major cities
throughout the country,” Daly said.”These games over the next number of years
are going to hit different locations, and we’ll see what’s worked well and what
can be improved and it’s very much kind of a learning process for us.”Hockey in
China is one big learning process, and the NHL is in the early stages of its
assistance.China is ramping up its hockey programs with an eye toward the 2022
Olympics, but that doesn’t mean the NHL is a sure thing to go. Daly said the
league sees hockey in China and the NHL at the Beijing Olympics as mutually
exclusive.”Our philosophy is one that isn’t necessarily connected to the other,”
Daly said. ”I don’t think the fact that we want to grow our presence in China
and grow hockey’s presence in China necessarily means we have to be in the
Olympics. But it doesn’t necessarily preclude us from being there if ultimately
we want to be.”Bettman noted that Germany reached the gold medal game at the
non-NHL Olympics in February, and wondered if staying out would actually be
beneficial.”Maybe the Chinese would have more success in 2022 in being
competitive if we’re not there,” Bettman said. ”A lot of variables to be
considered.”One of those variables that could help the NHL return to the
Olympics for the sixth time would be the Chinese government pushing for it.
Sochi was an example of that.”I think it could happen, but even if that was
something that they weighed in on
Brian Gibbons Jersey Womens , I’m not sure at the end of the day that would be a determining factor for us,” Daly said.”I think there are a whole host
of factors. It’s not just about kind of the conditions under which we go. It’s
all the other things that are associated with Olympic participation, including
what’s happening back here in North America.”—Sports Deputy Editor for
Newsgathering Howie Rumberg in New York contributed.— CALGARY, Alberta (AP) The
Calgary Flames have hired Bill Peters as the team’s head coach.The Flames
introduced Peters at a news conference on Monday at Scotiabank Saddledome. The
53-year-old from Three Hills, Alberta, resigned as head coach of the Carolina
Hurricanes on Friday after four seasons and a year remaining on his contract.The
Flames fired Glen Gulutzan and assistants Dave Cameron and Paul Gerrard last
week after missing the playoffs with a 37-35-10 record.In his NHL head coaching
debut, Peters went 137-138-53 with the Hurricanes but wasn’t able to get the
team into the playoffs.Carolina was looking for a new general manager as Ron
Francis was reassigned within the organization, so Peters’ tenure there would
have eventually been subject to the new GM’s approval.Peters is Calgary general
manager Brad Treliving’s second head coaching hire after Gulutzan, and the
fourth coach of the Flames in nine years after Gulutzan (2016-17) Bob Hartley
(2012-16) and Brent Sutter (2009-12).”I think it’s a very good team and I think
it’s a team that’s set up to win and play the modern game
Jaroslav Halak Jersey Womens ,” Peters said.”What I talk about the modern game, when you watch the playoffs, you need defense up in the rush, you need
offense from your defense. We’re going to be able to do that with what we
have.”The majority of the core is still in their prime and still has room to
grow and a higher ceiling to be reached. There’s lots to work with and that’s
exciting.”Calgary has finished outside the playoffs seven of the past nine
years.Peters was the head coach and Treliving one of the general managers of the
Canadian team that won gold at the 2016 men’s world hockey championship in
Russia.Treliving had asked the Hurricanes for permission to speak to Peters last
week about coming to Calgary. The GM said he didn’t talk to any other
candidates.”This is an individual I’m familiar with,” Treliving said. ”I was
focused on Bill. It’s based upon seeing and living it live with him over albeit
a short period of time.”He’s prepared. I think he’s a student of the modern
game. I think he’s relationship driven with players. He’s honest and
direct.”Peters is coaching Canada again at the world championship May 4-20 in
Copenhagen, Denmark.After leading the Spokane Chiefs to Western Hockey League
and Memorial Cup championships in 2008, Peters spent three seasons coaching the
AHL’s Rockford IceHogs and then joined the Detroit Red Wings coaching staff.He
was an assistant for Mike Babcock in Detroit for three seasons before heading to
Raleigh, N.C.—
