Jets’ Kevin He becomes first Chinese-born player ever to sign an NHL contract

The Winnipeg Jets announced that they have signed forward Kevin He to a three-year, entry-level contract.

He becomes the first Chinese-born NHL player ever to sign a contract.

He was selected No. 109 overall in the 2024 NHL Draft by Winnipeg.

The Beijing, China product currently plays for the Niagara Ice Dogs of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) where he has 23 goals and 20 assists for 43 points in 29 games this season.

“It’s a dream come true,” He said at Sphere Las Vegas after he was selected by the Jets. “It’s incredible, a huge honor. I have a lot of fans texting me right before the draft, wishing me good luck and showing me support.”

“We felt strong enough that he wasn’t going to be there if we waited much longer. Fortunately, we found an opportunity to jump up and grab them,” Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said. “When someone takes so much pride in their heritage and so much pride in their craft in the sport they want to be involved in, it says a lot about the person and the individual.”

He moved to Montreal, Canada when he was 6-years-old and then moved to Toronto when he was 12-years-old and began playing AAA hockey with North York.