The Shenzhen Vanke Rays (Chinese: 深圳万科阳光) were a women's ice hockey team that played in the 2017–18 season of the Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL). They were based in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China and played at the Shenzhen Dayun Arena. The team was developed along with the Kunlun Red Star WIH as part of the Chinese Ice Hockey Association (CIHA) in an effort to grow interest in ice hockey in China in preparation for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.[2] Both teams debuted in the 2017–18 CWHL season. The general manager was Shirley Hon, who was named to the position on August 18, 2017.[3]
| Vanke Rays | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Shenzhen, Guangdong, China |
| League | Canadian Women's Hockey League |
| Founded | 2017 |
| Folded | 2018 |
| Home arena | Shenzhen Dayun Arena |
| Colors | Red, white |
| General manager | Shirley Hon |
| Head coach | Rob Morgan[1] |
| Website | Official website (archived) |
| Shenzhen Vanke Rays | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 深圳万科陽光 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 深圳万科阳光 | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
In 2018, the CWHL contracted the Rays' membership after one season to focus solely on the Kunlun Red Star team in China.[4] Shortly after, Kunlun Red Star was rebranded as the Shenzhen KRS Vanke Rays as the CWHL integrated the two teams.[5]
History edit
Inaugural draft class edit
The following players were selected by the Rays in the 2017 CWHL Draft.[6]
| Round | Pick | Nat | Player | Pos. | Previous team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 |  |
Cayley Mercer[7] | F | Clarkson Golden Knights |
| 2 | 14 | |
Elaine Chuli[8] | G | UConn Huskies |
| 3 | 21 | |
Brooke Webster[9] | F | St. Lawrence Skating Saints |
| 4 | 28 | |
Hanna Bunton | F | Cornell Big Red |
| 5 | 35 |  |
Emily Janiga[10] | F | Buffalo Beauts |
| 6 | 42 | |
Ashleigh Brykaliuk[11] | F | Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs |
| 7 | 48 | |
Emma Woods[12] | F | Quinnipiac Bobcats |
| 8 | 56 | 
|
Fang Xin | F | Harbin IHC |
| 9 | 63 |
|
Zhao Qinan | D | Harbin IHC |
| 10 | 70 |
|
Rose Alleva | D | Princeton Tigers |
| 11 | 77 |
|
Lauren Kelly | D | Dartmouth Big Green |
| 12 | 84 |
|
Kong Minghui | F | Harbin IHC |
| 13 | 89 |
|
He Xin | F | Harbin IHC |
| 14 | 92 |
|
Lyu Yue | F | Harbin IHC |
| 15 | 95 |
|
Wang Bo | D | Harbin IHC |
| 16 | 98 |
|
Zhang Tianyi | G | |
| 17 | 101 |
|
Yan Hongxin | D | |
| 18 | 104 |
|
Xu Jiachao | D | Harbin IHC |
| 19 | 107 |
|
Gao Han | F | |
| 20 | 110 |
|
Xiao Jinqiu | D |
References edit
- ^ "Twitter post with head coach". August 24, 2017.
- ^ "Growing the Game in China: International Transfers and the Rules of Expansion". www.theicegarden.com. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
- ^ "Shirley Hon Joins Vanke Rays as General Manager". www.thecwhl.com. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
- ^ "CWHL to Feature Six Teams in 2018-19". CWHL. July 16, 2018.
- ^ Maura Sun (3 August 2018). "Kunlun Red Stars Announce Team Name Change". Canadian Women's Hockey League. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
- ^ "CWHL Draft 2017". EliteProspects.com. Retrieved 2020-12-16.
- ^ "Forward Courtney Turner taken with first pick in CWHL draft". www.sportsnet.ca. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
- ^ "Chuli Selected in CWHL Draft". www.uconnhuskies.com. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
- ^ "Chinese entry makes it official for Aurora's Brooke Webster". www.yorkregion.com. August 21, 2017. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
- ^ "Chinese entry makes it official for Aurora's Brooke Webster". Nichols grad Emily Janiga taken in CWHL Draft. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
- ^ "Former UMD captains Brykaliuk and Hickel selected in CWHL Draft". www.kbjr6.com. August 21, 2017. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
- ^ "QU Women's Ice Hockey's Kosta, Baumgardt, Darkangelo and Woods Selected In CWHL Draft". www.quinnipiacbobcats.com. August 21, 2017. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
External links edit
- Official website (Archived)