The matchups in September will be the first preseason games conducted in China, but not the first trip for either the Canucks or Kings, who have each participated in youth hockey camps in China in recent years. In addition, several NHL clubs have conducted hockey camps for Chinese youth recently both in China and North America, including the Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, Toronto Maple Leafs and Washington Capitals.
With a population of more than 1.3 billion, China is committed to hockey and expects to expand its participation in all winter sports to 300 million people by 2022. The 2017 NHL China Games presented by O.R.G. Packaging are a joint effort of the National Hockey League, the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA), founding partner O.R.G. Packaging, Beijing Sports Bureau, Shanghai Sports Federation, Shanghai Sports Bureau, Beijing Sports Competitions Administration Center, Chinese Winter Sport Federation and Bloomage International Culture & Sports Development Company Ltd. The League will work side by side with many of these sports bureaus to develop grassroots hockey programs, support local youth hockey and hockey development at all levels over the following years.
The NHL will play a vital role in helping to promote hockey culture across various regions of the country. The League will look to develop programs to provide schools with training and instructional content to implement these impactful hockey programs that promote physical education, sportsmanship, teamwork and fitness through participation in hockey.
Los Angeles will be designated the home team for the Sept. 21 preseason game at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai; Vancouver will be designated the home team for the game on Sept. 23 at Wukesong Arena in Beijing.
