CHONGMIN LEE: BREAKING BOUNDARIES IN THE ECHL

By Amy Winter

This offseason, the Bloomington Bison have shaped their roster with many talented players, one of whom is Chongmin Lee. Lee, a 25-year-old, 5-foot-11 right winger for the team, is only the third Korean-born player in ECHL history.

Lee was born in Seoul, South Korea, along with his two older brothers, Chong Jae Lee and Chong Hyun Lee. While in school, Lee attended a “Saturday Skate Day” with his brothers and friends. He credits this event as the beginning of their hockey journeys.

“My brother’s classmate was flying around, so my brother asked him how he skated so well,” said Lee. “My brother started skating from there, and then invited us all to practice with him. So we all started together.”

Lee’s brothers have also found success in hockey. Chong Jae played hockey in Korea College, while Chong Hyun played in both the Asia League and the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). Alongside his brother, Lee played for the BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings. In the 2018-19 season, he helped the Spruce Kings claim a league championship before moving to play in the Asia League. Over the past two years in the Asia League, Lee tallied 19 goals and 28 assists for 47 points. He was crowned an Asia League Champion with HL Anyang last season and was named the Top Player on the World Championship team.

“We played in an Olympic-sized rink, and it was more physical,” Lee commented, discussing his transition from the Asia League to the ECHL. “When coming to the ECHL, the main thing I need to adjust is the intensity in which I play.”

Coming off a championship season, Lee aims to help bring success to the Bison in their inaugural season. Bison Head Coach and General Manager Phillip Barski highly regards Lee as a player who adds greater depth and grit to the team.

“When we recruited him, we noticed his skating ability and his capacity to play on inside ice,” Barski noted. “He’s a ferocious hitter, and there were a bunch of things that appealed to us when we were looking to bring him here.”

Lee was the first player to score a goal in Bison history during the team’s only preseason game. Additionally, he assisted teammate Bryce Montgomery in scoring the first regular season goal in Bison history.

Lee’s success does not stop there. Lee is breaking boundaries in the ECHL as the third Korean-born player in history to play in the league behind Daniel Kim and Sanghoon Shin. Kim played for the Bakersfield Condors from 2004-2007, and Shin played for the Atlanta Gladiators from 2021-2023 and is currently with the Norfolk Admirals. Many fans have taken notice of Lee, and this has given him a prominent presence when taking the ice day in and day out. 

“It’s very special. Obviously, there are many great players back home who want to play overseas. I feel I need to play well so those guys can come over and play,” Lee said of his impact on the ECHL.

Not only is Lee’s presence in the league special for him, but the entire Bison team recognizes Lee breaking boundaries in their organization as something to celebrate for the sports of hockey.

“You don’t only look at that part of it. There are so many different cultures and backgrounds coming into the game, which makes it great. As other cultures gravitate towards this fantastic game, it makes hockey better because they bring unique perspectives,” said Barski. “On a personal level, I think Chongmin is a great person to bring into Bloomington. He’s a good citizen, and we really enjoy having him here. We’re fortunate he chose Bloomington out of all his options.”

For Bloomington fans, Lee’s success is gaining unwavering support in every passing game as he continues to develop and bring new dimensions to the sport of hockey.