The Winnipeg Jets have announced the historic signing of forward Kevin He to a three-year entry-level contract with an average annual value in the NHL of US$ 975,000.
The 18-year-old left-winger from the OHL’s Niagara Ice Dogs was born in Beijing and is the first Chinese-born player to sign a contract in the NHL.
Andong Song was the first Chinese-born player to be selected in the NHL Draft when he was picked 172nd overall by the New York Islanders in the fifth round in 2015.
But Song was never signed by the Isles and played just two seasons from 2016-18 for the USHL Madison Capitols.
The He family moved from Beijing to Montreal when Kevin was six years old. He was 12 when his family settled in the Greater Toronto Area, where they currently reside.
He was selected 109th overall by Winnipeg in the fourth round of the 2024 NHL entry draft in Las Vegas and was a member of the Jets prospect group that competed in the Annual Young Stars Classic in Penticton.
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Kevin was invited to main camp and played in the Jets’ second game of the exhibition season on Sept. 22 in Edmonton, garnering the lone assist on Dominic Toninato’s third period game tying goal of an eventual 3-2 overtime loss to the Oilers.
Two days later, on Sept. 24, He was returned to his junior team to begin his third season in Niagara. Just under a month later, Kevin was named the captain of the Ice Dogs on Oct. 22.
At the time of his signing with Winnipeg, He was second in team scoring with 23 goals and 20 assists for 43 points in 29 games.
He is the first of the Jets four 2024 draft picks to be signed by the team. The other three players are defenceman Alfons Friej (Bjorkloven IF – Swedish 1 Division), forward Markus Loponen (Victoria Royals – Western Hockey League) and forward Kieron Walton (Sudbury Wolves – Ontario Hockey League).
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