How 3 Canadians taught a Chinese hockey gear manufacturer to love the game

When Rake Tao stepped onto the ice for his first game of hockey in Hangzhou, China, he was confident. And why wouldn't he be?

As the owner and operator of IBX Hockey, he had created the first Chinese hockey brand, which was used by China's junior teams, and his top-notch hockey gear was sold across Asia.

He knew the equipment inside and out, and employed many people to manufacture countless hockey gloves, padding and other gear. But he'd never been on the ice. 

"The funny thing is, before I played hockey, I noticed everyone is moving very fast on ice. And you know, I think, 'I can do that,'" Tao told CBC News with a laugh. 

"I tried to play hockey, but everybody hates me. I'm a terrible skater! So then they asked me to be in net."

Tao jokes he discovered a "gift" for standing still in the net, hoping the puck (or ball, as they call it in China) would bounce off some of his gear — gear made in his own factory. 

Moored in his net, he fell in love with the ice-level view of the speed and skill of the game.

"My life has been totally changed because of hockey," he said. "Along the way, there were many friends from Canada I met, which helped and influenced me to make hockey possible here in my area in China."

In 2017, CBC News told the story about three Canadian English teachers who introduced hockey night to Hangzhou: Kyle MacNeil of Sydney, N.S., Will Lefebvre of Middleton, N.S., and Frank Ienzi of Ottawa. The trio had struggled to find ice time in Hangzhou's rink, which was inside a shopping mall and mostly used for skating. They had to wait until the mall closed to play late at night.

The Canadians met Tao, who manufactured hockey gear for Canadian company Eagle Hockey and later Vaughan Custom Sports, before starting his own business. He helped them get better access to the rink, and they taught him about the game. 

"We're trying to make hockey happen. And it is happening with everybody's help, especially the guys from Canada," Tao said. 

Ienzi and Lefebvre have both left China. MacNeil still lives there, and has married and plans to return to Nova Scotia with his wife in 2023. 

"In the early years of the league, I maintained the website and made the promotional material to get more locals and expats interested," MacNeil said.

"Rake handles all of that now. I also no longer play — my knees aren't what they used to be — and I've donated all my gear to the league. I've since taken on the role of league DJ, and do what I can to pump up the crowd. Still to this day, China is largely unaware of Western music, and I enjoy bringing some of that to our games."