Shanghai gets its first Asian League hockey team

When Steve McKenna talks, you listen. Standing 198 centimeters tall and weighing 198 kilograms, Wayne Gretzky's former on-ice bodyguard isn't one to be taken lightly. But his gentle demeanour belies his standing as an ex-NHL tough guy and the China Sharks' most menacing defenseman, so when he says that “there's definitely a new atmosphere surrounding Chinese hockey now,” he's got your attention.

Now a three-year veteran of the Asian League, McKenna knows that the Chinese teams have perennially been among the league's worst, but things are turning around here, both with how the squad's been playing and how it's been supported. “I would definitely put this year's team ahead of anything I've seen [in the last two years],” he says. “The youth have really come in and shown what they can do.”

He isn't just talking up his new teammates, either. After a dismal three-win season in Beijing, the China Sharks, a collaborative project between the NHL's San Jose Sharks and China's National Team, relocated to Shanghai to help promote the game beyond its traditional hot spots in northeastern China. It's a move that has paid instant dividends for Shanghai fans and the league. The team's already surpassed last year's modest win total, a feat highlighted by a three-to-one victory over the reigning champion, the Seibu Prince Rabbits, in their home opener. By all accounts, the team's shown constant improvement and is starting to catch up to the Japanese and Korean teams, the traditional powerhouses in the seven-member Asian League.

The fans too, have been receptive of their new team. They packed the acoustically amplifying Songjiang Stadium for the home opener, loudly backing their new team while picking up the rules on the fly. And why not? The team is stocked primarily with Chinese locals, nine of whom pull double duty on the national team. And while the style of play here may not be as rough-and-tumble as it is in North America, there's still that competitive edge that comes out whenever China pits itself against its rivals from neighbouring countries.

McKenna's crew will likely have to win all of their next nine games, including six straight at home against higher ranked teams from Japan, to have a shot at the playoffs, but with an improved record and a newly enthused following, it's hard to say this season hasn't already been a success. Geoff Ng

Details
What: Shanghai Sharks vs. the Nippon Paper Cranes
When: Jan. 10, 11, 13
Website: www.chinasharks.com