Here’s something you may have never seen before at the NHL level of hockey. Prior to a preseason game between the LA Kings and the Vancouver Canucks in Shanghai, the mascots for the two respective teams – Fin the Whale and Bailey – attempted to teach the Chinese fans about all of the penalties in hockey.

The results were … interesting.

The timing of this is a bit ironic considering NHL players don’t even know what’s a penalty and what’s not a penalty this preseason. The league has attempted to call things more by the book, including faceoff infractions and slashing, but that seems to have caused even more confusion. Players have taken to Twitter to mock the officials’ current stance on slashing.

Credit to the mascots for trying to explain the rules in a fun way to a demographic which may not be too familiar with hockey, but this whole show was pretty awkward. Then again, it looks like not too many people witnessed this display based on all of the empty seats.

Realistically, there’s really only so much you can do in a mascot costume, so maybe we all need to give Fin and Bailey the benefit of the doubt.

The NHL is trying to expand its global footprint and that included sending teams out to China to play some preseason hockey. That part about expanding globally might be a bit difficult to believe considering the league’s decision to skip the 2018 Olympics. Still, the league feels strongly about pushing hockey into Asian cultures. Unfortunately, based on the amazingly small attendance, the NHL has their work cut out.

About David Rogers

Editor for The Comeback and Contributing Editor for Awful Announcing. Lover of hockey, soccer and all things pop culture.