HC Kunlun Red Star

HC Red Star Kunlun is a Chinese ice hockey club that joined the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) prior to the 2016–17 season.

History
In March 2016, the Chinese club and the KHL signed a protocol of intent to have a Chinese-based team enter the KHL. The protocol was signed by the representative from the Ice Hockey Federation of Russia Vladislav Tretiak, the chairman of the KHL Gennady Timchenko and the board of Red Star Kunlun. In mid-April, the President of IIHF (René Fasel) shared his opinion about the intention of the Chinese club to join the KHL. He expressed hope that this will help China to bring their hockey to a higher level.

If the club meets their contractual economic conditions by 30 April 2016, they will be allowed to join the KHL. According to Roman Rotenberg, HC Red Star Kunlun applied to fulfill its obligations, but there is a coherent number of formalities, the final decision about team should be taken in June 2016. In early May, the KHL president Dmitry Chernyshenko considered the affiliation of the club to the league as an already done deal: "The club has provided all the documents on the scene, the structure of the club, finance, and they have the permission of the Chinese Ice Hockey Federation."

It was announced on 25 June 2016, that the KHL board of directors had officially accepted the club's application, and that they would be participating in the upcoming 2016–17 KHL season. Two days later, the clubs first signing was announced, with Finnish Defenceman Janne Jalasvaara joining the club.

Players
Initial reports that Ilya Kovalchuk and Danis Zaripov could play for the team and Mike Keenan to serve as the head coach proved untrue. Vladimir Yurzinov, Jr. was named the first head coach of the team.

The team was to feature 13 Chinese players. A Russian-Finnish duo was confirmed as goalies: Andrey Makarov and Tomi Karhunen. Defenders: Janne Jalasvaara, Anssi Salmela, Tuukka Mäntylä, Dmitri Kostromitin (trial contract) and Alexander Mikulovich. Forwards: Damien Fleury, Martin Bakoš, Oleg Yashin, Danil Romantsev (negotiations with "the Locomotive") and Igor Velichkin..