Go Tanaka to Germany

Japanese national team and former Seibu Prince Rabbit forward Go Tanaka has signed a one year contract with ESV Kaufbeuren (his picture’s already on the team roster page), a team that apparently just got promoted to Bundesliga 2nd division. Since this is only one level removed from the DEL, an elite European league, Tanaka figures to be closer to elite level play than Yutaka Fukufuji who has just signed to play in the Netherlands. Look for both players to represent Japan in the IIHF World Championships next year though.

Fukufuji next season

First ever Japanese NHL player and ECHL Bakersfield Condors goalie Yutaka Fukufuji has hinted on his blog that he’s looking outside America for a team to play next season. With his former Asia League team Kokudo/Seibu team folded, I’m not sure whether he means a return to Japan (the newly formed Tohoku Free Blades? Very unlikely), move to Europe (ECHL goalie would translate to second division in an elite nation?), or maybe he’s just yanking our chain and is looking into Canada 😛

Kazumasa Sasaki and the Japan U20 Team

The JIHF announced their U20 team for the upcoming U20 Div II Group A tournament in Romania in mid-December against Korea, Serbia, Belgium, Lithuania, and hosts Romania.

All but one of the players on the Japanese U20 team are first year university players. The lone exception is Kazumasa Sasaki who is an Asia League Oji Eagles player on a (probably) one year assignment in Swedish Division I with Östersund Hockey, and he is proving himself to be a useful player scoring 6+4=10 from the blueline in 16 games at the tender age of 18.

Sasaki has yet to play a game for the strong Eagles side, but I expect him to be back with his Japanese team next season as this season in Sweden is probably all expenses paid training by Oji (similar situation to many Japanese players in the past, including Masahito Nishiwaki with the ECHL Dayton Bombers last season. Japanese players truly testing and developing their talents overseas at the pro level can sadly be counted on one hand… Yutaka Fukufuji and Kazuma Takahashi, both in the ECHL, and maybe CHL overager Takuma Kawai.) Only playing one season overseas almost seems like a waste of resources as the player just gets acclimatized to their new environment when they get called back to Japan, shame. But financial security of playing in Japan is just too comforting and secure to get more players to truly challenge themselves and develop overseas long term..

福藤選手、08-09シーズンもECHLで

福藤豊選手が08-09 シーズンもECHL ベーカーズフィールド・コンドルズ（Bakersfield Condors）に戻る事が確定になったという記事がチームの公式サイトに掲載されました。

借金１３のチームで勝率5割の18勝18敗1分、チームNo.1のGAA 3.39 とセーブ率.899、そしてプレーオフ直前の9試合が7-2-0でGAA 2.38 とセーブ率.930 と、プレーオフでの強豪ビクトリア相手に脅威の39セーブの延長勝ちと55セーブの延長負けが特に高く評価されたらしいです。そして福藤選手がこの若いチームでいくつもの通算記録保持者だという事も称えられています。

チームも独立チームからNHL アナハイム・ダックスの傘下に入り、NHLからは2段下で野球で言うとAA 的存在なチームなので、今年もチームの成績以上の活躍が出来れば、AHL に上がれるかな。今シーズンはディフェンスがザルでなければ、より目立ちやすいのだが…頑張れFuji!!

The Bakersfield Condors, official ECHL affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks, announced today they have agreed to terms with goaltender Yutaka Fukufuji. The announcement was made by Condors Head Coach Marty Raymond.

Fukufuji’s name is highlighted throughout the Condors record book, having climbed the ranks in almost every career category as the 2007-08 season progressed. He stands as the club’s all-time leader in wins (45), saves (2,401), minutes (4,944), appearances (90), and is tied for the club record with four shutouts. He ranks fourth in career save percentage (.910) and seventh with a 2.72 goals against average (GAA).

Fukufuji, 25, has played more minutes between the pipes for Bakersfield than any goaltender in the history of the team. The 2008-09 campaign will be his third in Bakersfield. Last season he overcame a shaky start to carry the team into the post season, finishing with a record of 18-18-1, a .500 win percentage on a team that finished 13 games below .500 on the season. His 3.39 goals against average and .899 save percentage both led the team.

It was at the end of the season that Fukufuji shined for the Condors. His 7-2-0 record down the stretch was accompanied by a 2.38 GAA and a .930 save percentage, and helped guide the team to a playoff spot. Fukufuji was a workhorse after returning from Injured Reserve in mid-February, appearing in 22 of the team’s last 23 games of the regular season, making 19 starts. In the playoffs, he went 2-4 while starting every game, and made 31 or more saves in each outing, highlighted by a 39-save overtime victory in Game 1 and a 55-save overtime loss in Game 6, both on the road in Victoria.

そして昨シーズン終了後に日本製紙クレインズを退団になった36歳の元日本代表の桑原ライアン春男選手は、韓国のHigh1 と契約するという噂も流れています…昨シーズンは8G+6A=14P とイマイチパッとしない成績でしたが、若くて勢いのあるHigh1 でもう一花咲かす事が出来るんじゃないでしょうか？日本国籍所有者だから、外国籍選手にも数えられないので、両者にとって利益のある契約になると思います…もし実現されればですが（＾＾