Jason He needed to pinch himself.
Sitting in a packed Bell Centre final month, He gazed down and noticed his son, Kevin, taking part in for the Winnipeg Jets in a prospects-tournament sport towards the Montreal Canadiens.
About 13 years in the past, the accountant and his household (spouse Queenie, Kevin and youthful son Eric) moved to Montreal from Beijing for a profession and life change. It provided Jason the possibility to reveal his sons extra to a sport he fell in love with whereas mastering French as a world college pupil in Moncton, N.B.
“Very proud. The sport was bought out, and it was simply unbelievable emotions,” Jason recalled over the cellphone from his house in King Metropolis, Ont., not too long ago. “I took them 10, 12 years in the past to look at the Habs play. We had been taking part in minor hockey, and by some means they’d tickets for round $10. Now, they’re large males taking part in within the Bell Centre on the nationwide stage. It is superb.”
Kevin He, 19, is doing the whole lot in his energy to make sure there are extra particular moments forward.
A fourth-round decide of the Jets in 2024 after Winnipeg traded as much as seize the Buffalo Sabres’ choice, the Niagara IceDogs winger grew to become the primary Chinese language-born participant to signal an NHL contract final December, months after making his pre-season debut in Edmonton.
He bought into one other pre-season sport this 12 months, notching an help at house towards the Minnesota Wild, and has maintained his momentum within the OHL. The six-foot crew captain has 4 objectives and 9 assists in seven video games for the Central Division-leading IceDogs.
“It was an enormous confidence enhance, going to camp for a second time (with the Jets),” He stated. “You watch these guys rising up, to be on the market coaching with them, practising with them, simply attempting to be taught as a lot as I can.”
Final week in a showcase sport towards the loaded Brantford Bulldogs, He had a objective and two assists on a formidable line with Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Ethan Czata and gifted 2025 OHL first-round decide Ryerson Edgar.
On his objective, He triggered a Bulldogs turnover within the defensive zone and raced down the wing earlier than beating Sabres prospect goalie Ryerson Leenders from the faceoff circle.
“He is performed nicely. Straight forward, stops and begins, taking part in on the D aspect of the puck however with that he is bought explosive velocity,” first-year IceDogs coach Krys Barch stated after the crew’s 7-4 loss to the Bulldogs in St. Catharines, Ont. “He can actually flip a sport round or separate it for us. He is been an enormous component coming again and an important instance for all of the younger guys.”
When He returned from Jets camp, he requested Barch if he might play on a line with Edgar. Within the coach’s thoughts, that was a beautiful signal of management. For He, it merely was the suitable factor to do.
“I can relate to one of many solely 16-year-olds. I used to be the one 16-year-old 12 months my first 12 months,” He stated. “I perceive he could also be a bit of shy in the beginning, however I actually like his sport proper now. I can see he has a very good compete stage. Simply need to have the ability to assist him out and do what I can to assist somebody discover his sport. I feel he is heading in the right direction.”
Whereas Edgar grew up in Holland Touchdown, Ont. (not removed from the place Connor McDavid discovered the sport), He did not have a standard hockey upbringing.
Kevin and Eric first took strides on rollerblades, with ice restricted in Beijing. Jason finally discovered them some ice, however it was laborious to come back by.
The transfer to Montreal, the place Jason was celebrating on the streets whereas working a summer season job when the Habs final gained the Stanley Cup in 1993, modified that.
The household moved to the Toronto space when Kevin was 12 earlier than the IceDogs picked him within the second spherical (twenty fifth general) of the 2022 OHL Draft.
“I feel his ardour, that is the No. 1 factor,” Jason stated. “Ardour makes you’re employed tougher, compete higher, and go to the following stage. Ardour is the whole lot, it comes from the coronary heart. … I feel talent is the second (most necessary facet to hockey), ardour is the primary.”
After a summer season spent working with trainer-to-the-stars Matt Nichol — “He is been nice. Not only a fitness center coach, however a mentor as nicely,” — He has devoted himself to bettering his play at each ends of the ice.
Whereas we all know plus-minus might not be a tell-all stat, He is score is a plus-8 this season after being a mixed minus-34 in his first three years within the OHL.
The principle message from the Jets has been to work on his 200-foot sport.
“I feel that is the place my head’s at proper now,” He stated. “I feel I’ve an excellent basis, my velocity and power and what not. Clearly, get a bit of greater, fill out a bit of bit extra. Actually type of simply lock down the defence and match the system.”
After 4 seasons with none playoff success and several other off-ice organizational controversies, the IceDogs are hoping to show the nook this 12 months below Barch and new GM Frank Evola. He needs to play an enormous function in that turnaround earlier than hopefully making a full-time leap to the professionals subsequent season.
As Kevin takes every step, his dad will probably be watching with delight.
“It is a large dream come true,” Jason He stated. “I have been an enormous hockey fan for years. I have been watching Hockey Night time in Canada for years. I by no means imagined or dreamed my son would play at that top a stage.”
Friday, Oct. 17: Michigan State Spartans (1-1) at Boston Terriers (2-0-1), 7 p.m. ET
Opener of a back-to-back between the NCAA’s top-ranked Terriers and No. 3 Spartans. New York Islanders first-round decide Cole Eiserman is off to a scorching begin with Boston, scoring 5 objectives in three video games.
Friday, Oct. 17: Ottawa 67’s (6-1-0-0) at Kingston Frontenacs (5-2-0-1), 7:05 p.m. ET
It is rivalry week within the OHL, with geographical rivals taking part in home-and-home sequence. Each these Jap Ontario golf equipment are off to sturdy begins. Coach/GM Dave Cameron’s 67’s had been the final unbeaten membership within the OHL earlier than falling to Brantford final weekend. The 67’s and Frontenacs meet once more Sunday in Ottawa.
Sunday, Oct. 19: Edmonton Oil Kings (8-2-0-0) at Saskatoon Blades (7-2-0-0), 6 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. ST
Two high WHL Jap Convention golf equipment sq. off. Every crew has a European-born Canadian crew NHL prospect taking part in nicely. Saskatoon’s David Lewandowski (Edmonton Oilers, Germany) has 12 factors in seven video games, whereas Edmonton’s Miroslav Holinka (Toronto Maple Leafs, Czechia) has 11 factors in six video games.
Tuesday, Oct. 21: QMJHL Prospects Recreation, 7:30 p.m. ET at Sherbrooke, Que.
A brand new occasion showcasing 40 of the QMJHL’s high prospects for the 2026 NHL Draft. Blainville-Boisbriand Armada defenceman Xavier Villeneuve, who had 5 assists in a win over Newfoundland final week, and Russian-born, Victoriaville Tigres ahead Egor Shilov (14 factors in seven video games) will probably be two of the featured gamers.
