Yutaka Fukufuji

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Position	Goaltender
Catches	Left
Height Weight	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 198 lb (90 kg)
NHL Team	Los Angeles Kings
Nationality	Japan
Born	September 17, 1982, Kushiro, Hokkaidō, JPN
NHL Draft	238th overall, 2004 Los Angeles Kings
Pro Career	2002 – present

Yutaka Fukufuji (福藤豊, Fukufuji Yutaka^?, born September 17, 1982) is the first Japanese-born player to appear in a National Hockey League game^[1]. He is also the first Japanese citizen to be drafted as a goaltender (and the third player overall) in the NHL. The first, Taro Tsujimoto, was a name "plucked out of the Buffalo telephone book" as a joke in 1974 by Buffalo Sabres GM Punch Imlach [1]. The second, Hiroyuki Miura, was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in 1992, but never played in an NHL game.

Fukufuji was born in Kushiro, Hokkaidō, Japan. He played on the Kokudo hockey team of Asia League Ice Hockey in 2001. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2004 entry draft in the 8th round, 238th overall. He made his North American debut on February 7, 2003 with the ECHL Cincinnati Cyclones. He was voted the ECHL rookie of the month in January of 2003. He played for the Bakersfield Condors of the ECHL in 2004-2005 leading the team in wins, GAA, and shutouts. Yutaka signed a 2 year entry-level contract with the Los Angeles Kings in August 2005. After starting the 2005-2006 season with the Reading Royals, the Kings ECHL franchise, Yutaka was the number 2 goalie on the AHL Manchester Monarchs for a time.

On December 15, 2006, Fukufuji was called up on to the Los Angeles Kings on emergency basis. He became the first Japanese-born player to dress for an NHL game, but he did not play.

When goaltender Mathieu Garon was placed on injured reserve with a broken finger, Fukufuji was again recalled and flew in from Cleveland, Ohio to dress as the backup Kings goalie Barry Brust. On January 13, 2007, Fukufuji made his first NHL appearance, the first by a Japanese-born player, when Kings coach Marc Crawford decided to put him in to start the third period of a game against the St. Louis Blues. Fukufuji entered the game with the Kings trailing 5-4. He allowed one goal in the period, and the Kings also scored one goal while he was in net. The final score of the game was 6-5 in favor of St. Louis; as Fukufuji was the goaltender who allowed the decisive sixth St. Louis goal, he was assessed the loss.