Jets sign Kevin He, making him the first China-born player with an NHL contract
Winnipeg Jets’ Kevin He and Edmonton Oilers’ William Nicholl battle for the puck during the second period of a NHL preseason hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — The Winnipeg Jets signed Kevin He to an entry-level deal Tuesday, making him the first China-born player to sign an NHL contract.
Winnipeg picked the 18-year-old forward in the fourth round of the 2024 draft, becoming the second player from China selected after Andong Song by the New York Islanders in 2015. Song, a sixth-rounder, never signed with the team.
He was born in Beijing and moved to Canada with his family when he was 6. He is midway through his third season with the Niagara IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League and was named captain Oct. 22.
The contract is worth $975,000 annually in the NHL and between $80,000 and $85,000 in the minors. It could begin this season or next, depending how long he remains at the junior hockey level.
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