Jets' Kevin He becomes 1st Chinese-born player to sign NHL contract

The Winnipeg Jets signed prospect Kevin He to an entry-level deal Tuesday, making him the first Chinese-born player ever to sign an NHL contract, the team announced.

He became the second Chinese-born player to be drafted to the NHL when the Jets selected him in the fourth round in 2024. Andong Song, taken in the sixth round of the 2015 draft by the New York Islanders, was the first but never signed a contract.

He, 18, is currently serving as captain of the OHL's Niagara IceDogs. The speedy winger ranks fourth in the league with 23 goals in 29 games this season.

He was born in Beijing, where his father first started taking him skating at small rinks in malls when he was four years old. He first played organized hockey at age six when his family moved to Montreal. He then moved to Toronto at age 12 where he started playing Triple-A hockey in North York.