Cracknell's first season in China ends abruptly due to pandemic

Welcome to NHL.com, the official site of the National Hockey LeagueBienvenue à LNH.com , le site officiel de la Ligue nationale de hockeyДобро пожаловать на NHL.com, официальный сайт Национальной хоккейной лигиTervetuloa NHL:n viralliselle nettisivustolle NHL.comiinVälkommen till NHL.com, NHL:s officiella web-sidaVítejte na NHL.com, oficiálních stránkách National Hockey LeagueVitajte na NHL.com, oficiálnych stránkach National Hockey LeagueWillkommen auf NHL.com, der offiziellen Seite der National Hockey LeagueBienvenido a NHL.com, el sitio oficial de la National Hockey LeagueAdam Cracknell said he has good memories of his hockey season in Beijing, even if it ended abruptly.The former NHL forward, who signed a one-year contract with Kunlun of the Kontinental Hockey League on July 4, 2019, needed time to adjust to new customs and surroundings. Cracknell left his wife, Teresa, and his 1- and 3-year-old daughters in Beijing on Jan. 23 for what he thought would be a weeklong road trip through Helsinki and Moscow.He never returned to Beijing."A couple of days into our trip, after the virus was really starting to hit, the league said, 'Hey, you guys are not going back to China,'" said Cracknell, who scored 43 points (21 goals, 22 assists) in 210 career NHL games with the St. Louis Blues, Columbus Blue Jackets, Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars, New York Rangers and Anaheim Ducks. "So, we ended up finished the season on a 33-day road trip."The family's stay in Beijing ended abruptly, with Cracknell traveling through Russia for more than a month and his wife trying to find a safe place for her and their daughters. Teresa, her daughters and their nanny traveled from Beijing to Bali on Jan. 28, just before some travel restrictions were implemented."At that point, we were on the last flight that still allowed Chinese citizens to enter Indonesia," Teresa said. Throughout the year, it's long being away from your family, so it was nice to spend some good, quality time together.As for playing in Beijing again, Cracknell said he's hoping to return next season, whenever that is."Obviously, everything's still on hold, but I'd like to go back," he said.