Canucks sign Chinese goalie ahead of preseason games in Shanghai, Beijing

The Vancouver Canucks have taken outreach efforts to the next level.

On Monday, the club signed Chinese goaltender Zehao Sun to an amateur tryout contract. The 21-year-old will join the team's training camp as it prepares for the NHL China Games, with a pair of preseason games to be held this week in Shanghai and Beijing.

While Canucks coach Travis Green does not envision Sun seeing exhibition action, he will have the opportunity to take part in the team's camp and work alongside Canucks goalie coach Dan Cloutier.

"The good news is that NHL is coming to China already and bringing a very brilliant game to China, for the Chinese people to know the top players in the world," Sun told Lisa Dillman of NHL.com through an interpreter. "Also, it can help to increase the atmosphere in China, to help people know more about ice hockey."

Sun has previously represented China internationally, most recently as part of the World Championships Division II Group B tournament, in which he posted a 2.40 goals-against average and .919 save percentage in five games to lead China to a division win.

The tournament victory pushed China to Division II Group A, where it will now compete alongside Australia, Serbia, Belgium, Iceland, and the Netherlands.

The NHL China Games are a league initiative to promote the game in the Asian market. The first game of the series comes Thursday in Shanghai before shifting to Beijing on Saturday.