October 2, 2008

Du Signs with China Sharks

SAN JOSE, Calif. -– China Sharks general manager Chris Collins recently announced the signing of former Harvard standout Kevin Du to a contact with the hockey club. The Sharks compete in the Asia Hockey League.

Du joins the China Sharks franchise in the Asian League after four outstanding ECAC Hockey seasons at Harvard where he excelled for former longtime NHL veteran player Ted Donato. “K-Du” enters his 2nd professional campaign after spending last season with the Pittsburgh AHL-ECHL teams and a short stint in Germany.

“Chris and I had hoped to bring me over last season when the team played in Beijing but it just didn’t play itself out right," said Du. "My grandparents and parents were born in China and then moved to Vietnam before settling in Canada where I was born and raised. Obviously after hearing about the Sharks running a team in the Asian League and with my “heritage” I have been working hard to secure a spot on the China Sharks roster and it is my hope to help lead this team to an Asian league championship and to one day play in San Jose for the NHL franchise”.

Du comes to the China Sharks family after being heavily pursued by many teams in North America and Europe.

“I wanted K-Du here last season but franchise numbers prevented me from pulling off the transaction so it became priority #1 to get him signed for the 2008-2009 season and help us establish this franchise as we rebuild it from top to bottom," said Collins. "The fact that K-Du’s heritage encompasses China, Vietnam and Canada and a Harvard education is icing on the cake for us as he is a top citizen, an outstanding talent with a high intellect both on and off the ice. We see K-Du as a leader with our Chinese players and a potential role model in the Shanghai / Songjiang / China community of people. I want to personally thank K-Du’s agent, Mr. Allain Roy, himself a former Harvard all American and top professional net minder as he did a lot of work to make this happen for both sides.”