Chong Lee is ready to take the next step with his hockey career.
The 19-year-old Port Moody Panther will make the jump to junior A after he agreed to play for the B.C. Hockey League’s Prince George Spruce Kings next season.
Lee, who is originally from Seoul, South Korea, has been a standout player since joining the Cats in October, when he made his presence in the PJHL known by scoring four goals and one assist in a game against the Langley Rivermen.
He has only played 19 of the club’s 38 games but he is already Port Moody’s top scorer with 14 goals and 10 assists.
When Lee heads to training camp next fall, it will not be his first time lacing up his skates for the Spruce Kings.
He played four games with the club this season as an affiliate player, racking up one goal and two assists in the process.
Lee also has experience in international play, suiting up with the South Korean under-10 team for fives games in the 2016 World Junior Hockey Division II championship tournament, where he finished second in team scoring with eight points. He hopes to play on the men’s national team when it tries to qualify for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Peyongchang.
But while Lee is having success on the ice, the Panthers continue to muddle through their regular season.
The club lost another pair of games last weekend, falling 3-1 to Aldergrove on Saturday and 7-2 to the Ridge Meadows Flames on Friday.
@gmckennaTC
