Veteran Canadian-Australian defenseman Ben Harpur ventures East, joining an ambitious Shanghai Dragons club seeking playoff success.
Canadian-Australian defenseman Ben Harpur, 30, has signed a one-year contract with the Shanghai Dragons, the Chinese-based KHL club announced on Sunday.
Harpur has spent his entire career to this point in North America, and attended the Florida Panthers training camp this past September and October.
“Ben’s a big, tough defender who knows what it takes at the NHL level,” said Dragons GM Igor Varitsky. “He’s played under Coach Gallant before, so we know exactly what we’re getting: strength, experience, and a strong presence around the net.”
Harpur was born in Hamilton, Ont. to a Canadian father and Australian mother, and has citizenship of both countries. He played junior hockey for the Guelph Storm and Barrie Colts of the OHL and was selected in the fourth round, 108th overall, by the Ottawa Senators in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
Between 2015 and 2023, the 6-foot-6, 218-pound Harpur played 198 NHL regular-season games for the Senators, Nashville Predators and New York Rangers, recording 21 points and 143 penalty minutes. He also played in nine playoff games for Ottawa in the spring of 2017.
Over the past two seasons, injuries and a suspension have limited Harpur to just 36 total games in the AHL.
Alexander Burmistrov & Adam Clendening Latest To Sign With Chinese KHL Team
Ever since a major rebranding a week ago, the
Shanghai Dragons have hired a high-profile head coach and signed 14
new players, including several ex-NHLers. On Saturday, five new
signings were announced,
including Russian center Alexander Burmistrov and the
re-signing of American defenseman Adam
Clendening.
Harpur joins a Shanghai team that currently sits second in the Tarasov Division with 21 points in 15 games. If the team remains on that pace, it should qualify for the playoff for just the second time in the history of the franchise that was formerly known as Kunlun Red Star.
Other ex-NHLers currently on the roster include Kevin Labanc, Alexander Burmistrov, Adam Clendening, Ryan Spooner, Nick Merkley, Greg McKegg and Borna Rendulić, who is currently the team’s leading scorer with 15 points.
The coach of the Dragons is former Jack Adams winner Gerard Gallant, for whom Harpur played while with the Rangers.
Gerard Gallant Takes Over KHL’s Shanghai Dragons
Gerard Gallant is the new head coach of the Shanghai Dragons, the KHL
club announced on Wednesday.