Nikko IceBucks 2008-09 Changes

The Nikko IceBucks have welcomed 4 new members to the team for the 2008-09 season. 2 have passed open tryouts and they are defenceman Hiroki Iwasaki (Komadai-Tomakomai – Harrington College, Jr.A) and forward Shoichi Nakanishi (Nikko HS – Waseda Univ). And it’s good news that the team has the financial resources for 2 imports this season, and they are Eric Lafreniere (FRA-1) and his Middlebury (NCAA Div III) teammate for 3 seasons Mickey Gilchrist (AIHL Newcastle North Stars) who absolutely destroyed Aussie competition over the summer by scoring about 4 points a game to win the AIHL scoring title in only 15 games. Lafreniere and Gilchrist are both small but capable forwards and should be well suited for the less physical AL game. The Bucks have a bare minimum roster of 12 forwards, 8 defencemen, and 3 goalies, so player conditioning will be most important as any injury will be devastating to the squad.

Pictures are small but the Nikko IceBucks have announced their new jerseys for this season. 

Also, the Bucks are collaborating with Tobu railways (which connects Tokyo to Nikko), and will wear special Tobu railway uniforms against Seibu (which is sponsored by the Seibu railways). And special wrap Tobu trains will run between Tobu-dobutsu-koen and Nakameguro, starting in late September.

Preseason finally got under way for the Bucks (latest out of the 7 AL teams) with a 1-3 loss (final goal an emptynetter) today to Seibu who went on an 11 day 6 game training trip to Bayern in Germany late last month.