China and the KHL enter into exclusive agreement

The Asia League Ice Hockey (ALIH) has announced that its four Chinese teams in the 12 team league are folding and that league will move forward as an eight team league for 2017-18.

The reasoning behind the move is China’s exclusive focus on the giant of Eastern professional hockey: the KHL. Shanghai’s Kunlun Red Star experienced tremendous success in their inaugural season in 2016-17 and the country is hoping it can replicate their success throughout the country. In addition to having a team in the KHL’s top league, two new Chinese teams will compete in the second-tier Russian league VHL. Red Star Heilongjiang and Qien Tou will join this league and an additional team, the Kunlun Red Star Juniors, will compete in the MHL.

It’s a surprising development given the ALIH’s reliance on its Chinese teams and brings into question the viability of the league moving forward.