As someone who is a fan of a team that's won four Stanley Cups over the past 17 years, this story from TSN's Rick Westhead is...amusing:

Canada's largest sports company wants the Maple Leafs to become China's favourite hockey team, in much the same way Manchester United is the most popular soccer team in the world's most populous country.

At the same time as Chinese government officials have asked the NHL to stage a regular-season game in China as early as next season, TSN has learned four executives with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment are scheduled to leave Friday for Beijing for meetings to help grow hockey in China, an untapped frontier for many sports leagues around the world.

MLSE chief commercial officer Dave Hopkinson, Bo Hu, MLSE's executive in charge of Chinese business, and two colleagues will attend meetings in Beijing with Prime Minister Stephen Harper, his staff, and Chinese government officials. Maple Leafs President Brendan Shanahan was scheduled to participate but canceled at the last minute, a team spokesperson said.