minutes.“That’s the best I’ve seen (Thornton) moving since training camp and exhibition,” DeBoer told reporters afterward. “I thought tonight he had some decent legs.”Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson will make his first appeara

AUSTIN http://www.jaguarscheapstore.com/jalen-ramsey-jersey-cheap , Texas (AP) NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly says participation in the 2022 Olympics in China is possible but not essential to the league’s efforts to grow the sport in the world’s largest country.The NHL was criticized by the International Olympic Committee and fans for not allowing NHL players to compete in the recent Olympics in South Korea.After letting them play in the previous five Olympics, the NHL said it didn’t want to disrupt the midseason schedule or risk players to serious injury this year.The China games, however, could be different as the NHL eyes an untapped market of 1.4 billion people.”I’m not making any news today, I will say certainly it’s a possibility,” Daly said while speaking at the annual SXSW Interactive conference on a panel about the NHL’s efforts to grow hockey in China. ”We have (a couple) of years to kind of make that decision … I don’t think it’s a critical element to our being able to grow the sport in China … I don’t think it’s an essential.”Daily said the NHL owners thought long and hard before deciding not to allow NHL players to compete in the Olympics in South Korea.”In South Korea, we felt ultimately there were a lot more negatives than positives than going,” Daley said. ”I expect we’ll go through the exact same process (before 2022) … There may be more positives to participating in Beijing.”The NHL clearly has a business eye on China.The league and teams have held regular youth and coaching clinics in Shanghai, Beijing and other Chinese cities. Last September, the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks played the league’s first exhibition game in China. The NHL also has an agreement with Bloomage International Group, a Chinese-based company with a focus on developing sports in the country.”There’s a lot of potential NHL fans there, a lot of potential NHL players there,” Daly said.There’s also competition. The Russia-based Kontinental Hockey League, has already established a professional team in China Youth Leonard Fournette Jersey , the Kunlun Red Star, before the 2016-2017 season.”Right now China is one of, if not the, hottest markets in the world. Everyone wants to get in there,” said David Proper, executive vice president of media and international strategy for the NHL.Yet hockey still barely registers in China. According to the International Ice Hockey Federation, China has less than 12,000 registered junior players and less than 500 rinks around the country.”China is a hip market, but there is zero infrastructure,” said Jessica Guo, deputy general manager for Bloomage.As host for the next Winter Games, the Chinese government is making a push to increase participation in all winter sports. The NHL has approached the government about introducing hockey-based games into middle school physical education programs, Proper said.The NHL’s goal in China is to ”build a permanent presence, building a hockey infrastructure Brandin Cooks Jersey Elite , a hockey culture,” Daly said. ”That’s not just rinks. It’s equipment and coaching. Unlike other countries we’ve played games in, this is a new market for hockey. We realize our obligation is to build the base.” The San Jose Sharks are hoping for a better all-around performance when they hit the road for the first time this season to play the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center on Friday night.The Sharks (0-1-0) lost 5-2 against the Anaheim Ducks in the season opener for both teams on Wednesday night in San Jose.Sharks goalie Martin Jones stopped just 10 of 14 shots before the Ducks scored a late empty-netter to seal the win. San Jose also went 0-for-3 on the power play, and gave up two power play goals on the other end.Article continues below ...“The power play’s about confidence and obviously we struggled in preseason and didn’t look sharp tonight,” San Jose coach Peter DeBoer told the San Jose Mercury News afterward. “We’ve got to get some practice time, we’ve got to spend a little time on video. but special teams and goaltending are huge parts of the game and we lost those two battles. When that happens, you’re probably not going to win a lot of games.”The Kings will open their season without right winger Dustin Brown, who finished second on the team in goals (28) and points (61) last season. Brown sustained a broken finger in the final preseason game Saturday against the Ducks and is out indefinitely.“It’s not good to lose one of your top guys,” Los Angeles defenseman Drew Doughty told The Athletic. “Brownie is a guy that is very, very hard to replace. Both in the room and on the ice.”San Jose welcomed back one of its leaders on Wednesday night.Joe Thornton played his first game since Jan. 23. He underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee two days later and missed the rest of the regular season and playoffs.Thornton, 39, played 17:42 against the Ducks with one shot on goal and two penalty minutes.“That’s the best I’ve seen (Thornton) moving since training camp and exhibition,” DeBoer told reporters afterward. “I thought tonight he had some decent legs.”Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson will make his first appearance at Staples Center since Dec. 7, when he was still a member of the Ottawa Senators.Karlsson Authentic Robert Woods Jersey , one of the NHL’s top defensemen who led the league in assists with 66 in 2015-16, was traded to San Jose on Sept. 13 in a deal that sent two players, two prospects and San Jose’s 2020 first-round draft pick to Ottawa.Karlsson wasn’t much of a factor in his team debut on Wednesday. He had a team-high four takeaways, but was also the only player to finish at minus-2.“I think as the game went on, just like everybody else, it felt a little more comfortable,” Karlsson told the Mercury News. “A little bit shaky in the beginning, pucks were bouncing here and there and you’re overthinking stuff, but (as) the game went along, I think not only me but everybody else started to feel a little bit more comfortable.”