from Robert Tuchman at Forbes,

The NHL is hoping to use its own talent to promote the sport in China. In 2015, Canadian-based Andong Song was drafted by the New York Islanders and became the first Chinese-born player to be drafted in the NHL.

Commissioner Bettman is hoping that the NHL will see the same boom the NBA experienced after China embraced basketball as a new national pastime. In 2015, the NBA signed a five-year online streaming deal in China worth up to $700 million....

But Gary Bettman is not the only person excited about the prospect of expanding the NHL’s realm into China. Team owners in smaller markets are keen on raising revenue to become the most popular team in China. Many owners are interested in the idea of having Chinese investors claim stakes into teams that are interested in expanding their brand or may be struggling to stay competitive due to a low market value....

The future of hockey in China is looking bright and the NHL is poised to breathe life into a market hungry for new competitive endeavors.

more