An alumnus of Airdrie's competitive minor hockey program is representing China at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing this month.
Cochrane native Tyler Wong, 25, was named to the host Chinese Olympic hockey squad, alongside many of his teammates from the Kontinental Hockey League's HC Kunlun Red Star.
Wong, who has a Chinese father, is one of 11 Canadian-born players on the host men's hockey team at this month's Olympic Games. Other naturalized Canadians on the team include former Calgary Flames prospect Spencer Foo, former Colorado Avalanche goaltender Jeremy Smith, and former Avalanche and Nashville Predators player Brandon Yip. The Chinese squad also includes seven American, one Russian, and six Chinese homegrown players.
Growing up in Cochrane, Wong played for the Airdrie Xtreme AAA U15 and Airdrie-Cochrane Avalanche AAA U16 hockey teams, as well as the UFA Bisons AAA U18 team, who were then based in Strathmore but now call Airdrie home.
After his time in minor hockey, Wong enjoyed a successful junior career, playing more than 300 games across five seasons for the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the Western Hockey League, eventually captaining the team. His WHL career culminated with a 109-point season in 2016-17, ending the year with an additional 24 points across 20 playoff games as the Hurricanes went on a deep run to the Eastern Conference finals.
Making the step up to the professional ranks in 2017, Wong has since played for the Toronto Marlies and the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League, and the Quad City Mallards of the ECHL. He made the move to Kunlun Red Star – China's first and only team in the KHL – in 2019, where he's logged 220 games and scored 41 goals.
Even though no current NHL players are competing at this year's Olympics, China's men's hockey team is considered a heavy underdog. They are in a tough group that will see them compete for wins against the likes of the United States, Canada, and Germany.
The Beijing 2022 ice hockey competition is taking place from Feb. 3 to 20. China's men's team will play their first game against the United States on Feb. 10. The team's other preliminary games will be against Germany and Canada.
For a schedule of the team's fixtures, visit this link.
