Asia at the Olympics
This article is part of a special series we’ve prepared to mark the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina.
A total of 75 Chinese players and around 50 heritage players – North American-born skaters of Chinese descent – took the ice across Russia’s three top leagues: the KHL, VHL, and MHL. This group of just over 120 players formed the broader talent pool from which China’s first-ever Olympic hockey team would be assembled. But how did they fare in their preparation?
Chinese Players in the KHL by the Numbers
Between 2016 and 2022 – spanning the launch of the project to the start of the Beijing Olympics – only 15 Chinese-born players suited up for Kunlun Red Star in the KHL, most with minimal ice time. Of those, five had at least some experience in lower-tier North American leagues, while the rest entered the Olympic development program with little more than domestic amateur league experience, at best competing in the ALIH.
In terms of scoring, Rudi Ying managed two goals in 47 games, while Yang “Sam” Hu netted one in 23 appearances. The only other Chinese-born player to record a point was Xudong Xiang, who registered a single assist.
Beyond Ying and Hu, only four others – Ruinan Yan, Zesen Zhang, Juncheng Yan, and Tianxiang Xia – played more than 10 games. As for goaltenders, Pengfei Han and Zehao Sun combined for just three total appearances.
Kunlun Red Star, during the pre-Olympic period, also featured 22 Canadian and American players with traceable Chinese heritage.
| All Chinese-born Players in the KHL 2016–2022 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Matches | Stats |
| Rudi Ying | 47 | 2 + 0 |
| Yang “Sam” Hu | 23 | 1 + 1 |
| Xudong Xiang | 4 | 0 + 1 |
| Ruinan Yan * | 29 | 0 + 0 |
| Zesen Zhang * | 19 | 0 + 0 |
| Juncheng Yan | 17 | 0 + 0 |
| Tianxiang Xia | 15 | 0 + 0 |
| Wei “Peter” Zhong | 7 | 0 + 0 |
| Jianing Guo * | 6 | 0 + 0 |
| Zimeng Chen * | 6 | 0 + 0 |
| Pengfei Zhang | 5 | 0 + 0 |
| Cheng Zhang | 3 | 0 + 0 |
| Guanhua Wang | 1 | 0 + 0 |
| * Zesen Zhang, Zimeng Chen, Ruinan Yan, and Jianing Guo played one more season in the KHL after the Olympics. | ||
Other Chinese Teams in Russian Leagues
Naturally, Chinese hockey wasn’t strong enough to assemble even a single competitive team for the MHL or VHL. This was reflected in the rosters – each Chinese team in these leagues was built around a core of Russian players, supplemented by imports from established hockey nations. Supporting them were homegrown Chinese players and North Americans of Chinese descent.
Chinese Players in the VHL – A Stepping Stone to the KHL
Between 2017 and 2020, a total of 28 Chinese players and over 20 North Americans of Chinese descent took the ice in the VHL. Prospective Chinese national team members primarily played for the KRS Heilongjiang/Beijing franchise, while only a handful of Chinese skaters saw action for Tsen Tou Jilin, where Russian players dominated the roster.
The most successful Chinese-born player in the league was Yang “Sam” Hu. The Guangzhou native tallied 91 points in 157 games and even earned some KHL appearances, though he ultimately missed out on the Olympics. Rudi Ying also posted solid numbers, recording 38 points in 146 games, while Zesen Zhang contributed 22 points over 139 appearances.
On defense, Pengfei Zhang – now a key member of the Chinese national team – played 84 VHL games, registering three points. In the end, six homegrown Chinese players from the league earned spots on the Olympic roster.
| Top 7 Chinese-born Players in the VHL 2017–2020 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Matches | Stats |
| Yang “Sam” Hu | 157 | 34 + 57 |
| Rudi Ying | 146 | 10 + 28 |
| Zesen Zhang | 139 | 10 + 12 |
| Qianyi Huang | 80 | 5 + 5 |
| Tianyuo Zuo | 91 | 2 + 3 |
| Tianyu Hu | 141 | 2 + 3 |
| Pengfei Zhang | 84 | 0 + 3 |
Chinese Players in the MHL – Russia’s Top Junior League as a Talent Platform
Between 2017 and 2020, a total of 32 homegrown Chinese players took the ice in the MHL, with four eventually making it to the Olympics. They were joined by seven heritage players from Canada. In 2018, KRS Heilongjiang even had the opportunity to represent the MHL at the Junior Club World Cup (JCWC), providing a valuable chance for young Chinese players to gain top-level international experience.
The most notable Chinese players in the MHL were Jing Wang (144 games), Jianing Guo (131 games), and especially Qianyi Huang (66 games), who posted the best points-per-game average among Chinese skaters at 0.32.
Huang was regarded by his Russian coach, Alexander Barkov, as the most talented Chinese player he had worked with at KRS Junior. He even earned the nickname “Gretzky” within the club. (1) Where things went wrong is unclear, but Huang never made it to the KHL or the Olympic team. Today, his Elite Prospects profile simply lists his status as “retired.”
| Top 7 Chinese-born Players in the MHL 2017–2020 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Matches | Stats |
| Jing Wang | 144 | 11 + 19 |
| Qianyi Huang | 66 | 6 + 15 |
| Jianing Guo | 131 | 8 + 6 |
| Runcheng Zuo | 104 | 4 + 5 |
| Pengfei Zhang | 85 | 2 + 5 |
| Jilong Yu | 85 | 4 + 1 |
| Rudi Ying | 6 | 1 + 3 |
Chinese Team in Czech Lower League Thanks to Jaromir Jagr
Another group of players headed to Czechia before the 2019–20 season to train and compete. The inclusion of China Golden Dragon in the country’s third-tier league was the result of an agreement between Chinese officials, Czech hockey president Tomas Kral, and Kladno’s legendary owner, Jaromir Jagr.
The young squad, with an average age under 23, played its home games in the small town of Slany, near Prague. Bolstered by a few local players, the team was seen by Czech fans as something of a novelty – but on the ice, it became the league’s punching bag, earning just a single point.
A shift was planned for the following two seasons: the team was set to become even younger and move to Czechia’s second-highest junior league. However, the COVID-19 pandemic put an end to those plans. (2)
The China Golden Dragon team lacked high-level quality, and only four of its players made the Olympic roster. In the end, just one – defenseman Ruinan Yan – actually saw ice time in the Games.
Chinese U20 Team: Gaining Experience in the United States
Three North American projects complemented those based in Asia and Europe.
In 2016, the Beijing Shougang Eagles club was formed, temporarily based in New York. This team provided a development platform for talented Chinese U20 players, who spent the next three seasons gaining experience in USPHL Elite, a league roughly equivalent to the third tier of U.S. junior hockey.
In its first two seasons, the roster included some American players, but by the third (and final) year, the team consisted exclusively of Chinese skaters. While none of these players made it to the Olympic roster, several have since become key figures in China’s revamped national team – most notably Yuyang Hou (109 points in 107 USPHL games) and Mingju Zheng (59 points in 55 games).
China’s U18 Prospects Sharpen Their Skills in Canada
An intriguing group of players emerged with Blyth Red Star, a team that competed in the PSHF U18 during the 2017–18 season. The roster featured both Chinese-born players and several heritage players. Ultimately, none from this squad made it to the Olympic stage in Beijing. However, in the post-Olympic era of Chinese hockey, some have successfully carved out spots on the national team – most notably forward Jilong Yu and defenseman Hanming Zong.
Completing the Puzzle: China’s U16 Selection
These teams were complemented by Team Beijing 16U AA, which competed in the EJEPL 16U during the 2019–20 season. In the structure of U16 hockey in the U.S., this league belongs to the second-highest competitive tier (AA).
Although none of the players from this squad made it to the Olympic roster, the experience of playing North American hockey proved invaluable. Many of them continue to benefit from it today. Some, like Zihao Liu and Zhichen Li, have already represented China’s senior national team in major tournaments, including the World Championship, Olympic qualification, and the Asia Championship.
Chinese Players in NHL Camps
When it comes to gaining experience, the participation of two Chinese players in NHL preseason camps is worth mentioning.
The NHL has long been interested in tapping into the massive potential of the Chinese market. As part of this effort, the league hosted four regular-season games in China at the start of the 2017–18 and 2018–19 seasons.
During the 2017 NHL China Games, which featured matchups in Beijing and Shanghai, the Vancouver Canucks offered two Chinese national team players a rare opportunity to experience the world’s best league – at least for a moment. Defenseman Zimeng “Simon” Chen earned a spot in the Canucks’ development camp (3), while goaltender Zehao Sun symbolically signed a short-term tryout deal and joined the team for several training sessions in China (4).
Recruiting Top Coaching Expertise from Around the World
Several seasons in Russian, American, and Czech leagues helped China’s young hockey talents elevate their game. Many of these players, previously accustomed to playing no more than 20 games per season, suddenly found themselves competing in a packed schedule against opponents from elite hockey nations.
Foreign hockey experts also played a key role throughout this development process, providing essential guidance and mentorship. Chinese hockey officials left nothing to chance when it came to coaching. They managed to recruit some truly high-profile names to aid in the sport’s development – both at the club level and within the national team programs.
A lineup of seasoned experts took on roles in Chinese hockey, including Mike Keenan, Curt Fraser, Jussi Tapola, Vladimir Yurzinov Jr., Bobby Carpenter, Alexei Kovalev, Mikhail Kravets, Viktors Ignatjevs, Jyrki Aho, Ivano Zanatta, Alexander Barkov, Steve Kasper, Jakob Kölliker, and many more. Over the years, these top-level coaches worked with countless Chinese players, passing on invaluable knowledge and experience to help shape the next generation of talent.
Building on the work of their predecessors, a new group of coaches took the reins after the Olympics. Among them were the ambitious Spiros Anastas, former Latvian national team player Aleksandrs Macijevskis, and two seasoned veterans from hockey’s homeland – Greg Ireland and Perry Pearn.
A Chinese Professional Hockey League – Long Just a Dream
Many critics of China’s approach to preparing for the Olympic hockey tournament emphasized that the country overlooked the most crucial element – establishing a fully professional league. For years, Chinese hockey suffered from the lack of a strong domestic competition.
Instead of a long-term professional league, the country relied on national championships and the All-China Games, which function more like short-term tournaments. While these events provide some level of competition, they fail to offer players the consistent game experience needed for true development.
If some efforts to establish a professional league began after 2015, COVID-19 brought everything to a halt. As a result, China was unable to launch a domestic professional league before the Olympics. It wasn’t until the 2024–25 season that a league was finally established. (5)
Asia at the Olympics
Article Series
Sources, Quotes and Notes:
- engmhl.khl.ru/news/1/761993/
- cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_Golden_Dragon
- timescolonist.com/sports/island-bchl-alumni-yan-chen-named-to-host-china-team-for-beijing-olympics-5007055
- theprovince.com/sports/hockey/nhl/vancouver-canucks/ed-willles-canucks-trying-to-find-their-way-at-training-camp-in-china
- instagram.com/byipper/reel/DCl5EGmOqCW/
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