JEREMY SMITH REMEMBERS laughing.
Smith was a goalie with the AHL Bridgeport Tigers (an affiliate of the New York Islanders), during the 2018-19 season. This was Smith’s ninth minor league team. He was growing older. His NHL dream was not realized, except for 10 games with Colorado Avalanche. He was in hockey purgatory. He said, “I was an NHL bubble guy. Always a No. He stated that he was a goalie number 3.
One phone call changed his career and life. It was his agent. Smith had been offered a contract for next year by an agent. It was a team located in the most prestigious hockey hotbeds.
Beijing, China?
Smith, 32, laughed initially at the randomness and ingenuity of the suitor. He recalled thinking, “If you’re laughing, I’m waiting to hear the punchline.” “But it was for a two-year period. They were serious.”
There was more to it. As an incubator, the Chinese men’s team used the Kunlun Red Star of Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League as a home. Smith was offered more than a chance to play in KHL. He was given the chance as the goaltender of the host nation at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
Smith found this odd again. He was from Dearborn, Michigan and not mainland China. He did not know of any Chinese ancestry. When he replied to the contract offer, he wanted to be clear with his potential new team.
Smith stated, “I told ’em I couldn’t renounce” my U.S. citizenship. “They said, ‘Do you worry? We won’t be asking you. This is not the purpose of this entire process. It’s all about qualifying for the Olympics.
This was not a joke. China spent years trying to avoid becoming a laughingstock at the Olympics. They brought in Smith, former NHL players Jake Chelios, Spencer Foo and Brandon Yip. To give their program gravitas, they employed hockey stars like Wayne Gretzky (Phil Esposito), and Mike Keenan. They spent millions of dollars on player development and hockey infrastructure.
Despite all the effort, officials almost disqualified the Chinese men’s team from the Olympics. They were afraid they would be embarrassed by NHL-star teams.
They were allowed in.
The NHL then decided to withdraw.
“It’s kinda bittersweet. It would certainly bring more attention and interest to the Olympics. And it would be exciting to see how our matches up against some of the most talented players in the world. It gives us more chances to win the tournament than if those guys are not here,” Yip stated. Yip’s Olympic debut is on Thursday, when the team plays the U.S. in a preliminary game.
“We are the underdogs by far. However, if we are able to win against the U.S. it would be amazing. It would be incredible.”
YIP, A 36 Year-OldBritish Columbia native, he played the final of his 174 NHL matches in 2014 with Phoenix Coyotes. He then moved on to the AHL and ECHL before deciding to pursue an international hockey career. Yip stated to ESPN that he believes he has played in every country that has hockey.
Yip was playing in a German hockey league when Kunlun Red Star reached out to him. Smith got the same sales pitch: Play for the KHL for a chance of representing China at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
“I had no ideaYip laughed, saying, “I could play at the Olympics,” “I knew I wasn’t making Team Canada. That’s all for sure.”
China Environmental Energy Holdings founder Billy Ngok, a billionaire who also owns Kunlun. Kunlun began playing in the 2016-17 season. Ngok believes hockey could be a top four team sport in China. Ngok sees the day when the Chinese women’s national team could compete for Olympic silver. He was a little more measured with the men’s side.
“Everybody wants gold but we must be realistic, you know?” Ngok stated to The Hockey News that he wants gold, but we need to be realistic. Ngok told The Hockey News in 2019. You can’t lose 10-0. We must score goals, and possibly win a game.”
Red Star is a KHL rival, but they haven’t been one. In their first season, they reached the playoffs but lost in the first round. They haven’t qualified since, and they were last in the 2021-22 series when it was paused due to the Olympics.
Kunlun was created to promote Chinese hockey. Smith said that they don’t have a highly-skilled league so it was a privilege to be admitted into the KHL.
The Red Star appointed Mike Keenan, an NHL veteran, as its coach. He also serves as the general manager. Keenan also served as the team’s advisor board and on the advisory committee for Beijing Olympic hockey. Keenan stated to CGTN he was advising Chinese officials on how to set up grassroots programs and prepare for the Olympic Games. He also mentioned that he was advising them on how best to recruit players from China, as well as international players with ancestral connections.
Keenan, who was dismissed from his hockey operations positions in Dec. 2017, stated that “we will have to search players all over the world, identify probably about 25 guys for men’s team.”
Other big-name advisors would also be paid to help with the programs. Phil Esposito joined the team in 2017. In 2018, Wayne Gretzky was appointed as the Red Star’s “ambassador”, making appearances in China, and helping to establish a hockey school.
Gretzky, in an interview with Xinhua said he was “pleasantly shocked” at how much hockey is played in China but had high expectations for the Olympic team.
Gretzky said, “Realistically they want to be respected.”
Captain of @KRSchina
Captain of Team ChinaBrandon Yip is the one and only.??#Beijing2022 pic.twitter.com/symQspH7Zo
— KHL (@khl_eng) February 8, 2022
THE CHINA MEN’SThis project took many years to develop. The goal was to combine international players with a core team of players from China. This plan has drawn criticism from Chinese fans. Reuters quoted one Chinese fan as questioning, “How is it possible that so many of them don’t have Chinese blood?”
It might surprise you to see that 18 of its 25 members were born or grew-up in North America. Denis Osipov was also a Russian native.
Each player is listed as Kunlun Red Star. The government requested that all players brought to the country be rechristened using Chinese-language names. Jeremy Smith’s name is Shimisi Jieruimi. Jake Chelios is a former Detroit Red Wings defenseman, aged 30, and the son of Hockey Hall of Famer Chris Chelios. He is Kailiaosi Jieke. Brandon Yip’s name is Jingjuang Ye and Denis Osipov’s is Aoxibofu Dannisi.
Kunlun is an acronym for those who are born in China, and they are called “Heritage” and “Import” players. China doesn’t allow dual citizenship but is known to make exceptions in the case of foreign athletes.
“I told China that I won’t ever give up my dream of becoming a Chinese citizen.” [U.S.]Smith said Smith that they had given Smith his passport and said it was fine.
Smith isn’t certain if he has any Chinese roots. It doesn’t affect Smith’s eligibility to represent his country. You must have a passport to enter the country in order to participate in the Olympics. [with whom] you’re competing. I checked it out: It appears that there were 180 Olympians in Tokyo [2020]Smith said that Smith was referring to Smith’s statement that participants were allowed to use a passport not from their country of birth.
International Ice Hockey Federation rules allow players from any country to represent it if they have lived there for two years and played for their national team. The Red Star had to move from China to Moscow in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the IIHF determined that all North Americans on their roster were eligible for the Olympics.
“I told China that I won’t ever give up my dream of becoming a Chinese citizen.” [U.S.]They said it was fine to have a passport
Jeremy Smith, China is not a country that allows dual citizenship. However it has been known to allow exceptions for foreign athletes.
COVID was discovered at the conclusion of the KHL season. The virus was spread from Beijing to Beijing. We were in Beijing at that time. Yip explained that we traveled to Russia to play our last month of home and away games. “Fast forward for next year and we played just outside Moscow. This was because international travel is difficult to do.
The Kunlun Red Star roster contained a majority of former Russian players and North American players. The 2019-20 roster included NHL players such as Wojtek Wolski and Griffin Reinhart, as well as Devante Smith–Pelly. Similar mix was seen in the 2020-21 Red Star.
COVID-19 impacted both seasons, when the Red Star moved from China to Russia. Chinese officials did not want their players from China to move to Russia before they allowed them to play this season with the Red Star.
Smith estimates that Kunlun’s training camp was home to upwards of 50 players. There were two practices per day in this camp, which was basically an Olympic camp. While many of the mainland China players had some experience in the VHL (the KHL’s development league), the talent gap was apparent. Smith acknowledged that it was a big transition for Chinese players from the VHL to KHL, despite having been working hard in other leagues.
“When they arrived at our camp in July it felt like they’d been there for a year and half. That’s exactly what they were doing in China. They were training at an Olympic base camp, and they were skating all day. He said that they arrived at the camp and were doing ripping shots.
They also had a lot of fun ripping each other. While some of the players from the mainland had played together before, others were opponents. They took their animosity with them to Red Star.
“No matter where you were born, you can choose the team that you will play for. Some of them played together. Some of them played against one another… and they hated the other. Smith stated that there was not just a division between English, Russian, and Chinese but also between the Chinese players, as they are like “this is my enemy”, when Smith spoke up.
“It’s as if…” [Boston Bruins star]Brad Marchand and someone from Montreal Canadiens sat on a line. You are putting down your jerseys and putting on a new one. We are all adults. We’re able to differentiate.”
Inexperience was not the only problem. Language barriers were also an issue. Many players from China are unable to speak English or Russian. These two languages are used in team meetings. They were managed by Ivano Zanatta, an Italian head coach, and his team that includes Alexei Kovalev (ex-NHL star). Kunlun hired three translators to assist the Chinese-speaking players. Sometimes, one of their fluent bilingual teammates could also help.
“We have three to four players who speak English and Chinese. They’ll then sit next to them and ask, “What does that mean?” The coaches will speak. It also involves a lot visual learning. Smith stated that there are some coaches who excel at this task better than others.
It’s been a slow learning curve, but players are starting to catch on. “These players will flourish once they get the concepts and the system,” he stated.
The language barrier was also present on the ice. Smith, who is a vocal goalie and does a lot traffic directing from his bench, found it difficult to overcome this obstacle.
“We have a Russian defenceman back there. We also have a Chinese defenseman. “Canadian, American…an absolute mix of players,” said he. “I try and speak Chinese when a Chinese defenseman returns there, and Russian when he is back there. It’s more than just recognising the play. It’s also recognising who is making it, and in what language. My mind is constantly racing back there.”
The players gained cohesion as they played together on and off the ice. Yip stated that what they lack in skill and high-end talent they make up in hustle.
He said, “We’re just going to have the responsibility to play our game, rely on our defense, and our goaltending and capitalize on other teams mistakes.” “We work hard, man. We are hard workers. We aren’t as talented as other teams, but we do know each other. We have been playing together for many years. That’s why we have to make use of it now.
Now they know that they can participate in the Olympics.
“I don’t think it was offensive. They were right. Yip agreed, “But it was definitely painful.”
SEPT. 2021Luc Tardif, president of the IIHF, expressed concern that many had privately shared: that China, No. 12 seed in Olympic tournament, and 32nd in the world, Tardif expressed concern that China, the No.
The Chinese were also seeded in the same group with the U.S., Canada and Germany. The vision of NHL players such as Auston Matthews, Leon Draisaitl or Connor McDavid leading their teams to blowout victories was unavoidable.
Tardiff said, “Watching a team lose 15-0 is not a good thing for anyone, not for China or for ice hockey,” and openly asked Tardiff if the Chinese team had an “insufficient sport standard” for the tournament.
Since 2006, the host team has been an automatic seed for the Olympic hockey tournament. However, this was not a formal policy. Tardif indicated that the Chinese men’s team was currently being evaluated, and that Norway (which just missed out on the Olympic cut) could replace them.
Kunlun’s players were shocked and nervous. “It was heartbreaking. This was something we had done for 5-6 years. It was a difficult road. Yip said that it was difficult for them to question our participation in the Olympics when we finally reached the last leg.
Smith cited Usain bolt’s race in the Summer Olympics. Someone must finish last. But that doesn’t make them an Olympian.
“If you tell someone who has trained for eight years that they cannot come because they aren’t good enough, it’s not fair.” He said, “I’m sorry. That’s just not the sporting spirit.”
China was given a vote by the IIHF in November. However, there was a catch: The IIHF and Chinese Ice Hockey Association would travel together to see two Kunlun Red Star games. Then, the IIHF council would meet again “to discuss the next steps.”
The Red Star was not an excellent hockey team this season. Kunlun’s record was 9-32-7 when the KHL season was suspended for the Olympics. It had surrendered 198 goals in 48 matches, 48 more than any other player in the KHL.
“This isn’t a beer league. These aren’t beer league players. It’s still high quality hockey.”
Jeremy Smith
“We are currently in the last spot on the standings. Sometimes it was hard to combine three periods. We lost a lot of one-goal games in the beginning. Yip stated that we were in the right place. “Obviously we have been blown out a few times, but that is just inexperience.”
For what could be considered an Olympic audition, the Red Star stood on the ice against Amur Khabarovsk in Nov. 15, 2021.
Smith joked, “Yeah, an audit with really good hecklers among the crowd.”
“We were nervous. Smith stated that the Olympics would not be possible if we didn’t win the two games. “If you don’t win, this whole five-year process is pointless.”
The Chinese national team looked unlikely to win the part at first glance. After the first period Kunlun was down by 1-0; however, in less than 12 minutes of the second period they were down 4-0.
It was intense. They were making plays that they would not normally make. Smith stated, “I could see that they were struggling.” “I thought, ‘We have to stop the bleeding. We did.
Two goals were scored by the Red Star before the end the second period. The Red Star roared back to tie the game with 2nd-period goals before falling short in overtime. Yip stated, “We rallied in heroic manner.” It showed the IIHF we are capable of coming back and capable of competing.
Although their second audition game was also a defeat, it was an admirable one. Kunlun played Avangard well, trailing only at 2-1. Omsk scored twice during the last five minutes for a win of 4-1.
Over the next few weeks, Kunlun players reread news stories in hopes of hearing good news. We hear the rumors. Smith stated that they swirl. Smith said, “I believe they were concerned about China having a team capable of competing. I’m not sure if they were adequately educated in the context of Kunlun’s and China’s activities. They had been working for five years on a professional team to be eligible.
Finally, it was reiterated that China will participate in its own Olympic tournament.
(Sorry, Norway.)
It was actually a positive experience for us. Yip admitted that it was nerve-wracking. However, it gave them a taste of what the Olympics will be like.
Their expectations for the Olympics changed drastically in December 2021. Due to COVID postponements, the NHL decided not to participate in the Olympics. “I was surprised because I didn’t believe it would be an issue. Smith stated that Smith believed it was fixed after they decided in the CBA that players would be going.
China suddenly saw the talent drain as a chance to be competitive with their rivals, rather than expecting to lose Beijing.
Perhaps even winning a few games?
“The guys who are coming are still very good. This isn’t a beer league match. These are not beer league players. Smith stated that high-quality hockey is still possible. “But it’s a big distinction between Leon Draisaitl or a first-line player from the American League.”
TO UNDERSTAND THISMoment for Team China, one needs to understand Chinese hockey culture.
“It’s new. Smith stated that while it’s a country thousands of years in age, they are just now opening up to new possibilities. “Like how the NBA craze has taken over that country. All the Chinese players on our team sport Golden State clothing.”
Smith claimed that hockey is struggling in China because of the same reason it struggles elsewhere in the U.S.: Some of the concepts are unrelated, while the cost and equipment required to enter the sport are prohibitive. Smith said that it is not a pingpong table and some paddles. Smith was referring to another national pastime.
The NHL expressed interest in the market in 2014, and in 2017, and 2018, they played “China Games” preseason series in Beijing Shenzhen Shanghai. There was talk of a satellite NHL office in the country.
In 2017, Gary Bettman, the NHL commissioner, stated that “We recognize the importance in helping China build strong national hockey programs and are committed to supporting those efforts.”
Bill Daly, Deputy Commissioner, stated that the Chinese Olympic organizers were “not happy” with the NHL’s decision to withdraw from the Beijing Games. He stated, “But it wouldn’t harm our ability for us to play internationally in future.”
Yip stated that “The NHL sold their stadiums.” “There are only a few fans in China. It’s growing, but it’s still very small.
Yip is excited to see what the Olympics can do for it. He’s not looking for a “miracle on ice”, although he’d be happy to be part of one. Yip believes that the final scores don’t matter as much as the next steps.
It’s more than just competing in the Olympics. It’s about putting the sport that I love and has been so good to me on a platform. This is how you can grow the game. He said that hockey in China has a bright future. “Hockey can be enjoyed by all. It’s a great honor to be able share this with people who don’t know hockey.
Given China’s amazing journey to the Winter Games and the incredible success of the team, it seems like a win just for having China play in the Beijing men’s hockey tournament.
Smith stated, “If one child from China begins playing hockey because they saw us at the Olympics,”