Chinese team set to enter Canadian Women’s Hockey League

Finland-goalie-Noora-Raty-deflects-a-shot-during-the-first-period-of-an-IIHF-women's-world-hockey-championship-semifinal-game-against-Canada-on-Thursday,-April-6,-2017,-in-Plymouth,-Mich.-(Carlos-Osorio/AP)

Finland goalie Noora Raty deflects a shot during the first period of an IIHF women's world hockey championship semifinal game against Canada on Thursday, April 6, 2017, in Plymouth, Mich. (Carlos Osorio/AP)

TORONTO — The Canadian Women’s Hockey League is expanding into China.
   
The league announced the expansion Monday at a news conference at the Hockey Hall of Fame.
   
The new team, the sixth in the CWH that was founded in 2007, will be based in Shenzhen and will be known as the Kunlun Red Star. Red Star is set to feature players from China, North America and Europe, and join the Toronto Furies, Boston Blades, Brampton Thunder, Calgary Inferno and Montreal Canadiennes.

 
Commissioner: China a big step for CWHL
June 06 2017
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Kunlun Red Star has a men’s team playing in the Russia-based Kontinental Hockey League, and hired longtime NHL coach Mike Keenan in March to take charge of the club and the men’s and women’s national team.
   
Kunlun’s aim is to develop Chinese players as the country builds teams to compete at its first home Winter Olympics in 2022.

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