Phil_314

Yeah, it's been a trainwreck for them. Kunlun didn't even play in China last year. They played in some random city in Russia because of Covid.

The Spittin Chiclets episode with former NHLer (and current Red Star) Brandon Yip kind of gives insight into what's happening there. Kunlan is basically trying to sign every hockey player of Chinese descent that's played in the CHL/NCAA/Minors/Europe to get an Olympic team together. A funny story in the Spittin Chiclets episode is how Kunlan signed a guy who played for the UBC Thunderbirds and did some time in the OHL who had graduated from UBC and was working in finance for a year and basically made the jump from beer league hockey to the KHL. I think he's still on the team and his name is Luke Lockhart. And yeah, just other stories like that assembling this team.

It's gonna be a long process but if China can develop some long term NHL level talent, it'll be a win for them -- though Japan seems more poised to do that first.

Kunlan does have a few intriguing players on it. Tyler Wong was the kid who scored the hat trick against the Canucks in Vegas's first preseason game ever. Brandon Yip, Victor Bartley, and Spencer Foo all played NHL games before going to Kunlan... though none of them played up the lineup for any extended period of time in the NHL. There's also a couple of interesting former top prospects like Cliff Pu and Parker Foo who seem to be playing in Kunlan for the chance to play in the Olympics.

But yeah, I totally expect China's Olympic Team to be destroyed.

)

I wonder if Jett Woo will get a call?  

Kunlan reppin’ BC legends.