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It remains unclear if the NHL’s larger plan for Asia involves participation in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, or the 2022 Games in Beijing, but one thing is now certain.

The Vancouver Canucks and the Los Angeles Kings will play a pair of pre-season games in Shanghai on Sept. 21 and Beijing on Sept. 23 as part of a comprehensive long-term strategy to grow the NHL in China. The NHL’s Olympic involvement may or may not be part of that strategy, but, at a Thursday morning presser in Beijing, the focus was on the two pre-season games and their deeper meaning for the NHL and the NHLPA.

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And all involved said China represents big business for the league and its players.

“It’s a fascinating place and a unique opportunity for our team,” Canucks president Trevor Linden said over the phone from Beijing where he’s been since Monday. “There’s a real push to create a winter culture and a hockey culture leading up to 2022. We want to help them build that culture and we’re a diverse city. We think this is a great fit for our organization.”