The newest team in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) is the Shanghai Dragons.
The franchise is entering its first season under the Dragons name, but the club itself isn’t brand new. Previously known as Kunlun Red Star, the team spent eight seasons in the KHL before announcing a rebrand.
During their time as Kunlun, the club reached the postseason only once, in their inaugural 2016-17 season, where they lost in the Conference Quarterfinals. They have not returned to the playoffs since.
The Dragons plan to move their home games back to China in the future, but for now, they are building their roster and will play out of St. Petersburg, Russia.
Their roster features one former New Jersey Devil, one Devils draft pick who never signed, and several other players with NHL ties.
- Nikita Popugaev: Drafted 98th overall by the Devils in 2017, Popugaev never signed with the team and has spent most of his career overseas. Now 26, he announced he will be suiting up for the Dragons this season.
- Nick Merkley: Selected 30th overall in the 2015 NHL Draft, Merkley played four games with the Devils in 2019-20 and 27 games in 2020-21. He registered two points in his first season and 10 points in his second. The 27-year-old now joins the Dragons as another Devils connection.
- Austin Wong: Drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in 2018, Wong was never signed but will be making history as part of the Dragons’ inaugural roster. The 24-year-old forward brings additional North American experience.
In addition to players, the Dragons hired a familiar NHL face behind the bench: Gerard Gallant, former head coach of the New York Rangers. Gallant, who has also coached the Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers, and Vegas Golden Knights, will lead the Dragons as their first-ever head coach.
As of now, the roster includes:
- 5 Canadian players
- 4 American players
- 4 Russian players
- 1 Slovakian player
Collectively, the roster of 14 skaters brings 387 NHL games of experience.
The Shanghai Dragons will look to end the franchise’s playoff drought and make their first postseason appearance since 2016, this time under a new name, new leadership, and a roster built on international and NHL experience.