The First-Ever NHL China Games Presented by Ocean 24 SE Client ORG Packaging

The Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks played two preseason games in China, the first NHL games ever played in China, as a first step toward growing the game in the world's most populated country.

The Kings defeated the Canucks 5-2 before 10,088 at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai on 9/21 and 4-3 in a shootout before 12,759 at Wukesong Arena on 9/23 in Beijing.

The teams also held youth clinics in Shanghai, and the NHL held a Fan Fest in Beijing.

China has enormous potential because of its population of 1.3 billion, its growing economy and the 2022 Beijing Olympics. The Chinese government wants 300 million to participate in winter sports leading up to those Olympics, and it asked the NHL to help grow hockey by lending its expertise in building hockey infrastructure and a national team, and by playing games in the country.

It's wonderful that the Kings and Canucks got to see new places like the Bund in Shanghai and Great Wall in Beijing, that they got to try new foods and be together overseas and bond. Those are life experiences they'll never forget.

It's wonderful that expats got to see NHL games and wear jerseys from around the League, that Chinese kids already playing hockey got to meet players, get autographs from them and even skate with them. The NHL needs all its fans, however far flung. It needs to give oxygen to the first flickers of the flame.

It's wonderful that the 10,088 fans who attended the game in Shanghai waved rally towels and "oohed" and "aahed" all the time, that the crowd of 12,759 in Beijing was bigger and more energetic. It gives you a glimpse of what could be.

But the real reason the Kings and Canucks made the trek across the Pacific, the real thing that will move the needle, is reaching new fans -- people with no hockey background who might get hooked on something else in a country where basketball, soccer, badminton and table tennis are popular. That's where the growth is.

"The responsibility once we leave is, how do we get kids on the ice?" Canucks coach Travis Green said. "How do we get kids playing hockey and falling in love with the game the way it is in North America? It's a great game. It's a fast game, competitive. I think it's a great sport to watch, especially live in person.

"Hopefully we can get people to fall in love with it in China, and the next time we come over there's more people playing the game."

Bruins Global: China 2017 Presented by Ocean 24 SE Client ORG Packaging

The Boston Bruins, in partnership with Ocean 24 SE's client: O.R.G. Packaging made the organization's second official visit to China to continue to grow the sport of hockey, strengthen the connection between the Bruins and the local Chinese community in New England, and educate North American residents about the growth of hockey in China. "Bruins Global: China 2017" took place from July 23 to August 3 and featured current Bruins players Torey Krug , David Pastrnak , and Tuukka Rask along with Bruins Alumni Hal Gill and members of the Boston Bruins Corporate Partnership and Youth Hockey Development Teams. The trip's festivities kicked-off with the grand opening of a brand new state-of-the-art hockey rink built by O.R.G. Packaging where hundreds of fans and youth hockey players attended.

Led by Krug, Pastrnak and Rask, the B's organization embarked on a 14-hour trip across the world hosting several youth hockey on-ice clinics in both Beijing and Shanghai throughout the course of their 10-day visit. The clinics, which involved over 200 Chinese youth hockey players, included dry-land workouts where Bruins' players and staff lead youth hockey players through hockey-specific exercises and agility training aimed at improving on-ice performance. In addition to on and off ice training, Krug, Pastrnak and Rask also lead educational video sessions and breakdown various hockey strategies and techniques to Chinese players and coaches. The Bruins also fully immersed themselves into China's rich culture and partook in sightseeing at the Great Wall of China, Silk Market, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and much more.

In 2015, the Bruins became the first NHL team and first North American professional sports organization to partner with Ocean 24 SE's client O.R.G. Packaging which is based in Beijing, China. In early 2016, the Bruins hosted O.R.G. Packaging Night at TD Garden where the B's hosted nearly 30 Chinese Youth Hockey Players from the Beijing Hockey Association. Those players participated in numerous activities during O.R.G. Packaging Night including Future Bruins, Three Minutes of Fame and the pregame high-five line where they had the opportunity to fist bump the B's players before they took the ice against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Later in July of 2016, the Bruins organization embarked on its first-ever official visit to China, where over 200 Chinese children attended the various clinics hosted by the Bruins and current players Matt Beleskey and David Pastrnak as well as Bruins alumni Andrew Raycroft and Bob Sweeney. In addition to hosting the youth hockey clinics, the Bruins players were able to explore Beijing and Shanghai, where they experienced the local Chinese culture. Beleskey and Pastrnak were each treated to custom made Chinese suits which they wore during the trip, that Pastrnak and Beleskey later wore to the Bruins first-ever Chinese Cultural Night hosted at TD Garden in Boston on February 12, 2017. Chinese Cultural Night coincided with a new group of Chinese youth players who visited Boston and included a ceremonial puck drop by O.R.G. Packaging Chairman Mr. Zhou Yunjie and the Chinese youth players. Other highlights of Chinese Cultural Night included sampling of Want Want Milk, a Chinese drink, and Chinese "Go Bruins" signs that were given to fans throughout the game. While Mr. Zhou Yunjie was in town for Chinese cultural night, he and Pastrnak engaged the local Boston Chinese community and visited the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center, where the pair helped children with arts and crafts, and gave out gift bags and tickets and to Bruins' Chinese Cultural Night game against the Montreal Canadiens.

Since the partersnhip with O.R.G was consummated, the Bruins have hosted over 100 Chinese youth hockey players from 2015 to 2017. Throughout their visits, the Chinese youth hockey players participated in clinics led by the Bruins Youth Hockey Development Team, played games against local New England youth hockey teams, explored the city of Boston and watched Bruins hockey games at TD Garden. The Bruins will continue to host a different group of Chinese youth hockey players in Boston each year, as part of their five-year partnership with O.R.G. Packaging. By the conclusion of the Bruins' 2017 trip, over 450 Chinese youth hockey players will have participated in the various clinics held by the team.

Last year's trip to China was featured in the Bruins television show, Behind the B, which airs locally on NESN. The episode, which chronicled the organization's trip, won the 2017 New England Emmy Award for Best Sports Series. The episode can be watched here: https://www.nhl.com/bruins/video/behind-the-b-season-4-ep-1/t-277463846/c-44882103