Kevin He
{{Use Canadian English|date=December 2024}}
{{Short description|Chinese ice hockey player (born 2006)}}
{{Infobox ice hockey biography
| name = Kevin He
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2006|4|30}}
| birth_place = Beijing, China
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 0
| weight_lb = 181
| position = Left wing
| shoots = Left
| league = NHL
| team = Winnipeg Jets
| prospect_league = OHL
| prospect_team = Niagara IceDogs
| draft = 109th overall
| draft_year = 2024
| draft_team = Winnipeg Jets
| career_start =
}}
Kevin Hongtian He (born April 30, 2006) is a Chinese-born Canadian ice hockey left wing and captain of the Niagara IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). The Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL) selected He with the 109th overall pick in the 2024 NHL entry draft. In 2024, He became the first Chinese-born ice hockey player to sign an NHL contract.
Early life
He was born in Beijing, China.{{cite web |title=Kevin He – Stats, Contract, Salary & More |url=https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/617222/kevin-he |website=Elite Prospects |access-date=December 17, 2024 |archive-date=June 24, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240624173911/https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/617222/kevin-he |url-status=live }} His father Jason had become interested in ice hockey while attending Université de Moncton and took him rollerblading and ice skating as a child.{{cite news |last=Douglas |first=William |title=Color of Hockey: He could be highest China-born player taken in NHL Draft |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/color-of-hockey-kevin-he-could-be-highest-china-born-player-taken-in-nhl-draft |publisher=National Hockey League |date=March 18, 2024 |access-date=December 17, 2024 |archive-date=June 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240617005735/https://www.nhl.com/news/color-of-hockey-kevin-he-could-be-highest-china-born-player-taken-in-nhl-draft |url-status=live }} He began playing organized ice hockey at the age of six, when his family moved to Montreal.{{cite news |title=He makes NHL history, signs entry-level contract with Jets |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/china-born-kevin-he-signs-entry-level-contract-with-winnipeg-jets |publisher=National Hockey League |date=December 17, 2024 |access-date=December 17, 2024}} He played minor ice hockey for a variety of teams across Montreal and Toronto before joining the North York Rangers of the Greater Toronto Hockey League.{{cite news |last=Mori |first=Brendan |title=Q & A with Kevin He |url=https://gthlcanada.com/article/q-a-with-kevin-he |publisher=Greater Toronto Hockey League |date=May 21, 2024 |access-date=December 17, 2024}} During the 2021–22 season with North York's Under-16 AAA team, He had 13 goals and 25 points in 16 games.
Playing career
The Niagara IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) selected He in the second round, with the 25th overall pick, of the 2022 OHL Priority Selection,{{cite news |title=IceDogs Add 2 After Day 1 of 2022 OHL Draft |url=https://chl.ca/ohl-icedogs/article/icedogs-add-2-after-day-1-of-2022-ohl-draft/ |publisher=Canadian Hockey League |agency=Niagara IceDogs |date=April 29, 2022 |access-date=December 17, 2024}} and he signed with the team that May.{{cite news |title=Niagara IceDogs Sign Kevin He |url=https://chl.ca/ohl-icedogs/article/niagara-icedogs-sign-kevin-he/ |publisher=Canadian Hockey League |agency=Niagara IceDogs |date=May 25, 2022 |access-date=December 17, 2024}} He's first junior ice hockey goal came on October 1, during the IceDogs' 3–2 victory over the Flint Firebirds.{{cite news |title=Dogs Fight Back for a Win in Flint |url=https://chl.ca/ohl-icedogs/article/dogs-fight-back-for-a-win-in-flint/ |publisher=Canadian Hockey League |agency=Niagara IceDogs |date=October 1, 2022 |access-date=December 17, 2024}} In his rookie OHL season, He had 34 points in 66 games,{{cite news |title=Kevin He Named To NHL Central Scouting Preliminary Watch List |url=https://chl.ca/ohl-icedogs/article/kevin-he-named-to-nhl-central-scouting-preliminary-watch-list/ |publisher=Canadian Hockey League |agency=Niagara IceDogs |date=October 25, 2023 |access-date=December 17, 2024 |archive-date=June 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240623214347/https://chl.ca/ohl-icedogs/article/kevin-he-named-to-nhl-central-scouting-preliminary-watch-list/ |url-status=live }} and his 21 goals tied Akil Thomas for the most by an IceDog in their 16-year-old season.{{cite news |last=Franke |first=Bernd |title=Niagara IceDogs host orientation camp |url=https://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/sports/hockey/icedogs/niagara-icedogs-host-orientation-camp/article_e5c4861b-30b3-5c9c-9b63-ca3bd6245b15.html |work=St. Catharines Standard |date=May 11, 2023 |access-date=December 17, 2024 |url-access=subscription}} During the 2023–24 season, He served as one of six alternate captains for the IceDogs.{{cite news |title=IceDogs Announce 2023–2024 Leadership Group |url=https://chl.ca/ohl-icedogs/article/icedogs-name-2023-2024-leadership-group/ |publisher=Canadian Hockey League |date=September 28, 2023 |access-date=December 17, 2024 |archive-date=October 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231013111849/https://chl.ca/ohl-icedogs/article/icedogs-name-2023-2024-leadership-group/ |url-status=live }} In 64 games that season, He recorded 53 points, including a team-leading 31 goals, and was the IceDogs' nominee for the Red Tilson Trophy.{{cite news |title=Kevin He Nominated for Red Tilson Trophy |url=https://chl.ca/ohl-icedogs/article/kevin-he-nominated-for-red-tilson-trophy/ |publisher=Canadian Hockey League |agency=Niagara IceDogs |date=April 2, 2024 |access-date=December 17, 2024 |archive-date=May 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240529232551/https://chl.ca/ohl-icedogs/article/kevin-he-nominated-for-red-tilson-trophy/ |url-status=live }}
The Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL) selected He in the fourth round, 109th overall, of the 2024 NHL entry draft. He was only the second Chinese-born player drafted in the NHL, behind Andong Song, who the New York Islanders took in the sixth round of the 2015 NHL entry draft.{{cite news |last=Myers |first=Tracey |title=He makes history at 2024 NHL Draft as 2nd China-born player selected |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/jets-pick-kevin-he-highest-china-born-player-drafted-in-nhl-history |publisher=National Hockey League |date=June 29, 2024 |access-date=December 17, 2024 |archive-date=June 30, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240630190139/https://www.nhl.com/news/jets-pick-kevin-he-highest-china-born-player-drafted-in-nhl-history |url-status=live }} On December 17, 2024, the Jets signed He to a three-year, entry-level contract,{{cite news |title=Jets sign Kevin He to 3-year, entry level deal |url=https://www.nhl.com/jets/news/jets-sign-kevin-he-to-3-year-entry-level-deal |publisher=National Hockey League |agency=Winnipeg Jets |date=December 17, 2024 |access-date=December 17, 2024}} making him the first Chinese-born player to sign in the NHL.{{cite news |last=Friesen |first=Paul |title=From Beijing to ka-ching: Winnipeg Jets' Kevin He makes history |url=https://winnipegsun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/winnipeg-jets/from-beijing-to-ka-ching-winnipeg-jets-kevin-he-makes-history |work=Winnipeg Sun |date=December 17, 2024 |access-date=December 17, 2024}}
Career statistics
| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em;" | ||||||||||
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! colspan="5"|Regular season ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! colspan="5"|Playoffs | ||||||||||
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! Season !! Team !! League ! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM | ||||||||||
| 2022–23 | Niagara IceDogs | OHL
| 66 | 21 | 13 | 34 | 31
| — | — | — | — | — |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2023–24 | Niagara IceDogs | OHL
| 64 | 31 | 22 | 53 | 66
| — | — | — | — | — |
| 2024–25 | Niagara IceDogs | OHL
| 62 | 36 | 39 | 75 | 34
| 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3"|OHL totals ! 192 !! 88 !! 74 !! 162 !! 131 ! 5 !! 2 !! 3 !! 5 !! 4 |
References
{{reflist}}