He appeared in 64 games with Niagara of the Ontario Hockey League last season and had 53 points (31 goals, 22 assists). He played the past two seasons with Niagara and had 87 points (52 goals, 35 assists) in 130 games. He said many of the Niagara team and staff made the trip to Las Vegas to see him have a great time.
Also in attendance were about 13 other family members, including five aunts, several cousins, two nephews whom he was meeting for the first time, and his father.
Kevin’s love of hockey actually comes from his father, Jason, who attended school in Moncton, New Brunswick as an international student before the family moved to Montreal when Kevin was five years old.
“I wanted my kids to play hockey. It’s my passion. We moved to Canada because it’s the best place to play hockey,” Jason said.
“He’s been a great skater probably since day one. The first time I took him on rollerblades he was 3 years old. He has a younger brother (Eric) and they both love to skate and they both play hockey. They’ve both played outdoor hockey and roller hockey for many years, and that’s what makes them such great skaters.”
Adjusting on the ice is one thing, adjusting off the ice is another. When Kevin came to Canada he only spoke Chinese.
“French was very difficult for me,” said He, who now speaks Chinese, French and English fluently. “I remember sitting there on the first day (of school) not understanding anything. I had to rush and learn.
“When I moved to Toronto, I made an effort to learn a bit more English. It helps with the culture. I’ve been to a few Habs games and been able to speak to some of the fans in French. It’s a lot of fun.”
He’s back in training and will be back with Niagara this season. With him will be a familiar face in his older brother Eric, who is one year younger than him. Eric spent most of last season with North York in the Ontario Junior Hockey League and played 12 games with Niagara. Niagara signed Eric to an OHL scholarship and development contract in February.
Will Eric one day follow in Kevin’s footsteps?
“I’m praying,” Jason said with a smile, “he’s working hard. He’ll be playing for the same OHL team, but he still has a lot of work to do.”
Kevin hasn’t been back to China since he emigrated there as a child, and hopes to return one day to see his family and to inspire players from China in the future.
“I hope so,” he said. “I want to be a role model for kids and try to encourage them to take up hockey.”
