AFP/New York

Song Andong became the first Chinese-born player to be drafted into the National Hockey League (NHL) when the New York Islanders chose the sturdy defenceman in the sixth round of the entry draft on Saturday.
The Islanders took Song with the 172nd pick in the annual draft which showcases the best college and junior players from leagues in North America and Europe. The Edmonton Oilers took Connor McDavid with the first overall pick on Friday but the selection of Song a day later was also significant because he was born in Beijing and began his hockey there in youth leagues and tournaments before his family moved to Canada.
“I am really honoured to be the first,” the 18-year-old Song said. “Being the first Chinese player is a lot of pressure from people back home.
“Good pressure. It will motivate me to be a better player. Make them proud.”
Song captained China’s under-18 team that competed in the International Ice Hockey Federation’s II-B world championships and his NHL connection headlines the growth of hockey not just in China but in other Asian countries like Hong Kong, Thailand, Japan, Taiwan and even the former Portuguese colony of Macau.
“When I started playing there weren’t a lot of people there,” he said. “There wasn’t much support for the game.
“Last year when I went back, it had been eight years since I had seen Chinese hockey and it was tremendous how far it’s grown. I am sure they will keep trying to catch up to Europe and North America and Russia.”
The Islanders are owned by Chinese-born Charles Wang who was not at the draft table on Saturday.
China is bidding to host the 2022 Winter Olympics and the next Olympic ice hockey tournament is going to be held in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
Song’s humble beginnings in hockey began in Beijing when he joined a league after his mother suggested he pick a sport to try.
At age 10 he moved with his family to the Toronto area and at 15 he went to New Jersey to play high school hockey for Lawrenceville School. He has played both defence and forward but prefers defence as his favourite player is recently retired former Detroit Red Wing Nicklas Lidstrom. “What I want to do is rally people behind me. Not focus on myself but do something good for Chinese hockey,” he said.
Song follows a healthy list of players of Asian descent to suit up in the NHL, including Larry Kwong who was the first Chinese Canadian in the league. Kwong played one NHL game in March 1948 for the New York Rangers against the Montreal Canadiens. Other former NHLers of Asian descent include Paul Kariya, Richard Park, Devin Setoguchi and David Tanabe.