NHL Hockey Returns to Beijing This September as the Boston Bruins Meet the Calgary Flames

The NHL is to return to China this September with a pre-season match between the Boston Bruins and the Calgary Flames in Shenzhen and Beijing. League executives announced yesterday that the Bruins and Flames would face off in Shenzhen on Sep 15 before taking the ice in Beijing on Sep 19.

The match-up features one of the "Original Six" NHL franchises in the Bruins, and the Flames, who 20 years ago opened their 1998-1999 season with games in Tokyo, Japan. The Bruins have won the Stanley Cup six times, most recently in the 2010-2011 season. The Flames last hoisted the cup in 1989.

"For players, this is really exciting,'' says Flames' center Sean Monahan. "To be able to showcase our game, our league and our team in China is going to be amazing. You want to give them a good show."

"The Boston Bruins are excited to be part of the 2018 NHL International Games in China," said Bruins President Cam Neely. "Over the past three years, we have collaborated with Mr. Zhou Yunjie, the Chairman of ORG Packaging, on growing the game both within the Chinese community in Boston and with youth hockey players in China. We look forward to continuing these efforts by bringing Bruins hockey to China with these two preseason games."

The Bruins made their first official visit to China in 2016 when over 200 children from around China attended clinics hosted by the team and players Matt Beleskey and David Pastrnak. Last summer, Pasternak returned to China along with Finnish goalie Tukka Rask. On Feb 12, 2017, the Bruins also hosted Chinese Cultural Night at the TD Bank North Garden in Boston. 

The NHL has renewed its interest in China ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, although the league has not announced whether NHL players will participate and NHL players did not play for their national teams in South Korea this year.

The league has long had a goal of bringing hockey to China and Chinese government officials have announced an ambitious plan to have 300 million participants in winter sports by the time the Olympics roll around four years from now.

This marks the NHL's second foray into China, and hopefully promoters this year avoid the problems which marred the league's China debut in Shanghai in 2017.

Cold ice plus Shanghai humidity meant practicing on ice shrouded in fog. Team officials and NHL representatives also blamed local organizers for not adequately promoting the game. Rapidly deployed de-humidifiers ultimately cleared the mist, but the Los Angeles Kings beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-2 in front of empty seats and lower than expected turnout.

Two days later, the Kings won again in Beijing, defeating the Canucks 4-3 on penalties under better conditions.

Times and ticket details for this September's games in Shenzhen and Beijing have yet to be announced but watch this space for more information as it comes in.

Image: Boston Bruins