Vanke Rays
| Vanke Rays | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Shenzhen, Guangdong, China |
| League | Canadian Women's Hockey League |
| Founded | 2017 |
| Home arena | Shenzhen Dayun Arena |
| Colors | Red, white |
| General manager | Shirley Hon |
| Head coach | Rob Morgan[1] |
| Website | Official site |
The Vanke Rays (simplified Chinese: 深圳万科阳光 or 万科阳光; traditional Chinese: 深圳万科陽光 or 万科陽光; pinyin: Shēnzhèn Wànkē Yángguāng or Wànkē Yángguāng; Cantonese Yale: Sāmzan Mahkfō Yeùhnggwōng or Mahkfō Yeùhnggwōng) were a women's ice hockey team that played in the 2017–18 season as part of the Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL). The club was based out of China and a part of the Chinese Ice Hockey Association (CIHA), joining the CWHL along with the Kunlun Red Star WIH, as effort to grow hockey in China in preparation for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.[2] The general manager was Shirley Hon, who was named to the position on August 18, 2017.[3]
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
Inaugural draft class
The following players were selected by the Rays in the 2017 CWHL Draft.
| Round | # | Player | Position | Previous Team | Nationality |
| 1 | 7 | Cayley Mercer[6] | Forward | Clarkson Golden Knights |  Canada
|
| 2 | 14 | Elaine Chuli[7] | Goalie | UConn Huskies | Canada
|
| 3 | 21 | Brooke Webster[8] | Forward | St. Lawrence Skating Saints | Canada
|
| 4 | 28 | Hanna Bunton | Forward | Cornell Big Red | Canada
|
| 5 | 35 | Emily Janiga[9] | Forward | Buffalo Beauts |  United States
|
| 6 | 42 | Ashleigh Brykaliuk[10] | Forward | Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs | Canada
|
| 7 | 48 | Emma Woods[11] | Forward | Quinnipiac Bobcats | Canada
|
References
- ^ "Twitter post with head coach". Vanke Rays' Twitter feed. 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.
- ^ "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.