Andong Song from China drafted by NHL

We’ve seen the wave from China hit the NBA, and now we have our first Chinese hockey player drafted in the NHL.

Andong Song was drafted by the New York Islanders in the sixth round.

The Islanders are partially owned by Charles Wang.

China is not a traditional powerhouse in winter sports.  But it is certainly a lucrative market for any professional sport.

Puck Daddy added this information:

At 10 years old, he moved to Canada to play hockey with the Oakville Rangers. At 15, he moved to New Jersey and played for Lawrenceville School. Having played both defense and forward, he said he prefers the former, having patterned his game after Hockey Hall of Famer Nicklas Lidstrom. “He doesn’t like to use the body as much. He’s just a skilled player,” he said.

Lidstrom was a star. Song, at least for a day, was as well: Chinese news services followed his progress, and a film crew trailed him around South Florida.

“Feels like I’m a star already,” he said.

Song said he’d love to be an NHL star, at least to the players back home who have waited decades for someone to represent them in the world’s most prestigeous hockey league. And Song said there’s a growing number of players in China that will be monitoring him.

“When I started playing, there weren’t a lot of people playing. When I went back, after eight years since I’ve seen Chinese hockey, it’s tremendous how much they’ve grown. I’m sure they’ll keep trying to catch North America and Europe,” said Song, who spends summers and holidays in Beijing.

Image courtesy of Peter Vanderheyden.