KRS Shenzhen Won't Play In ZHL Just As China Earns Promotion

China earned promotion from the Division 1A World Championships, but their national team's main supplier, KRS Shenzhen won't play in the competitive ZHL this year.

Just over a month before China earned promotion from the IIHF Division 1A women's World Championship to the top competition, the main provider to China's national team announced they're not returning to the Zhenskaya Hockey League (ZHL).

Kunlan Red Star told the ZHL that the KRS Shenzhen women's team would not be returning for the 2023-2024 season as this year is China's national championships.

“KRS Shenzhen Hockey Club has completed its journey in the 2022/2023 season in the Women's Hockey League," the club said in a translated press release. "This was our fourth season in the WHL and we had a great experience, just like in previous years. We thank the League for everything you have done to help our team achieve great results in previous seasons. While playing in the WHL, our team had the opportunity to compete with high-level players, which helped us to improve our skills, thanks to which our players made it to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Let me thank you for the invaluable experience in the WHL, and also wish all its teams success in the upcoming season."

KRS Shenzhen joined the ZHL in 2019-2020 following two seasons playing in the Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL). When the CWHL folded to launch the PWHPA, KRS Shenzhen joined the ZHL.

In four seasons in the ZHL, KRS Shenzhen won a pair of championships in 2019-2020 and 2021-2022.

Only two players from KRS Shenzhen Vasilisa Gudymenko and Karina Zolotaryova have re-signed officially in the ZHL for next season.