First men’s ice hockey pro league of China commenced in Longgang District of Shenzhen

On the evening of November 19, 2024-2025 China Men’s Ice Hockey Pro League commenced at Shenzhen Kunlun Red Star Ice Hockey Club which is located in Longgang District of Shenzhen in south China, symbolizing the birth of the first men’s ice hokey pro league of China. 

It’s introduced that 131 players from 4 teams including Beijing Lion Men’s Ice Hockey Team, Liaoning (Shenyang) Aomei Ice Hockey Club, Anhui Xinhua Professional Men’s Ice Hockey Team, and Shenzhen Kunlun Red Star Ice Hockey Club, would play each other at the first men’s ice hockey pro league of China. The league consists of the regular season and playoffs. During the regular season occurring during the week beginning from November 19, the 4 teams would compete with each other in the 6 rounds of the League happened in a double round robin style. After that, the regular season would continue in Qiqihar and Shenyang -- the cities in north China. Playoffs would occur in Beijing of north China. 

The reason why China’s first men’s ice hockey pro league chooses to commence in Shenzhen is that the city has made a great deal to support China’s career of ice hockey and to support China Ice Hockey Association (CKA). As introduced by Li Yutian -- vice director of Game Department of CKA, “Shenzhen has offered a great deal of support to the growth of the national team and the development of both women’s and men’s ice hockey leagues since the preparation of Beijing Winter Olympic Games, through recommending athletes, building sports teams, etc. Shenzhen’s ice hockey career grows fast, with many teenagers actively playing ice hockey. This is just what we want to see.”

Shenzhen Kunlun Red Star Ice Hockey Club builds men’s ice hockey team for the league, in response to the call for “extending the winter sports and the related industries from north China to south China”. Currently, the men’s ice hockey team is comprised of 35 full-time players averaged at about 20 years old and 5 guest players from Russia, with some of the full-time players ever been in the first three places of certain national games, served National Team, or participated in winter Olympics, and with 4 of the guest players ever participated in over 100 KHL games. Men’s Ice Hockey Team of Shenzhen Kunlun Red Satr Ice Hockey Club aims for the championship of China’s first men’s ice hockey pro league, expressed by Zhou Song -- general manager of Shenzhen Kunlun Red Star Ice Hockey Club.