Yutaka Fukufuji

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| name = Yutaka Fukufuji

| image = 福藤豊コンパクト版 cropped from 202310221356 DSCN6152.jpg

| alt = Ice hockey goaltender standing up looking to the right

| caption = Fukufuji in 2023 with the H.C. Tochigi Nikkō Ice Bucks

| image_size = 230px

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1982|9|17}}

| birth_place = Kushiro, Hokkaidō, Japan

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 1

| weight_lb = 173

| position = Goaltender

| catches = Left

| team = Nikkō Ice Bucks

| league = ALIH

| former_teams = Los Angeles Kings
Kokudo Tokyo

| ntl_team = JPN

| draft = 238th overall

| draft_year = 2004

| draft_team = Los Angeles Kings

| career_start = 2002

}}

{{MedalCountry | {{JPN}} }}

{{nihongo|Yutaka Fukufuji|福藤豊|Fukufuji Yutaka|extra=born September 17, 1982}} is a Japanese ice hockey player for the Nikko Ice Bucks of the Asia League Ice Hockey. Fukufuji was the first Japanese player to appear in a National Hockey League (NHL) game, and played 4 games with the Los Angeles Kings during the 2006–07 season.{{cite news | last = Grossman | first = Evan | title = NHL Insider: When It Comes To Hockey, It's A Small World | publisher = National Hockey League | date = March 1, 2007}} The first Japanese draft pick, Hiroyuki Miura, was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1992 NHL Draft, but never played in an NHL game. Fukufuji is the first Japanese citizen to be drafted as a goaltender in the NHL and second Japanese national to be drafted. Internationally Fukufuji has played for the Japanese national team at several World Championships.

Career

Fukufuji was born in Kushiro, Hokkaidō, Japan.{{cite news | last = Matsuda | first = Gann | title = Fukufuji Proud Of Season As He Looks Forward | publisher = Rafu Shimpo | date = February 2, 2007| page=2 |url=http://frozenroyalty.net/2007/02/21/la-kings-goalie-prospect-fukufuji-is-proud-of-season-as-he-looks-forward | access-date = August 7, 2012}}{{cite news | last = Wigge | first = Larry | title = Kings Goalie Is First Native Japanese Player In The NHL | publisher = National Hockey League | date = January 1, 2007| url = http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=287481 | access-date = August 1, 2007}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}} 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 2003. He played for the Bakersfield Condors of the ECHL in 2004–05 leading the team in wins, GAA, and shutouts. Fukufuji signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Los Angeles Kings in August 2005. After starting the 2005–06 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 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 backup to goalie Barry Brust. On January 13, 2007, Fukufuji made his first NHL appearance, the first by a Japanese player, when Kings head 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.

On January 16, 2007, Fukufuji made history again when he became the first Japanese player to start in an NHL game, as he began the game in goal for the Kings against the Atlanta Thrashers. He allowed 3 goals on 9 shots and was pulled.

Fukufuji was not presented with a qualifying offer by the Kings before the 2007–08 season, but returned to the Condors on September 10, 2007, after signing a contract for the 2007–08 season.{{cite news|last=Griffith |first=Mike |title=Condors 'Delighted' At Fukufuji's Return |url=http://www.bakersfield.com/news/sports/condors/story/234328.html |publisher=Bakersfield Californian |date=September 1, 2007|access-date=September 25, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080611095525/http://www.bakersfield.com/news/sports/condors/story/234328.html |archive-date=June 11, 2008 }}

On May 25, 2009, Fukufuji was signed by the Destil Trappers of the Eredivisie, the top league in the Netherlands.{{cite web|title=Trappers sign Japanese goalie|url=http://www.trappers.nl/0809/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=352&Itemid=2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090623120437/http://www.trappers.nl/0809/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=352&Itemid=2|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 23, 2009|publisher=Destil Trappers|date=May 2, 2009|access-date=May 31, 2009}} After one full season with Destil Trappers Fukufuji signed with Nikko Ice Bucks in July 2010.{{cite web |url=http://www.icebucks.jp/team/ |title=Team | Hc Nikko Ice Bucks |publisher=Icebucks.jp |access-date=August 30, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120804042313/http://www.icebucks.jp/team/ |archive-date=August 4, 2012 }}

On January 29, 2020, it was announced{{Cite web|url=https://www.icebucks.jp/news/14446|title = 2022 北京冬季オリンピック3次予選チームから5選手が選出| date=September 2, 2023 }} that Fukufuji had been selected to represent Japan in the third round of qualifiers for the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

Career statistics

=Regular season and playoffs=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="width:80%; text-align:center;"
bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff"\| ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff"\| ! colspan="10" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"\|Regular season ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff"\| ! colspan="8" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"\|Playoffs
bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! Season ! Team ! League ! GP !! W !! L !! T !! OTL !! MIN !! GA !! SO !! GAA !! SV% ! GP !! W !! L !! MIN !! GA !! SO !! GAA !! SV%
2001–02 \| Koduko \| JIHL \| 14	—	—	—	—	715	42	—	2.94	.914 \| —	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2002–03 \| Cincinnati Cyclones \| ECHL \| 9	4	3	0	—	403	21	0	3.13	.915 \| —	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2003–04 \| Koduko \| JIHL \| 9	—	—	—	—	544	13	0	1.99	.918 \| —	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2004–05 \| Bakersfield Condors \| ECHL \| 44	27	9	5	—	2,517	104	3	2.48	.919 \| —	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2005–06 \| Manchester Monarchs \| AHL \| 2	1	1	—	0	120	6	0	3.00	.923 \| —	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2005–06 \| Reading Royals \| ECHL \| 29	15	9	—	4	1,691	82	1	2.91	.917 \| 4	1	2	196	11	0	3.36	.888
2006–07 \| Los Angeles Kings \| NHL \| 4	0	3	—	0	97	7	0	4.37	.837 \| —	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2006–07 \| Manchester Monarchs \| AHL \| 5	3	1	—	0	261	4	1	0.92	.965 \| 1	0	0	1	0	0	0.00	1.000
2006–07 \| Reading Royals \| ECHL \| 28	13	10	—	0	1,522	75	1	2.96	.905 \| —	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2007–08 \| Bakersfield Condors \| ECHL \| 46	18	18	—	1	2,427	137	1	3.39	.899 \| 6	2	2	—	22	0	3.55	.912
2008–09 \| Bakersfield Condors \| ECHL \| 35	18	12	—	1	1,821	100	0	3.29	.902 \| 7	3	4	432	25	0	3.47	.905
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2009–10 \| Tilburg Trappers \| NED \| 30	—	—	—	—	1,086	60	0	3.43	— \| 11	—	—	652	36	0	3.31	—
2010–11 \| Nikkō Ice Bucks \| ALIH \| 31	—	—	—	—	1,769	85	1	2.88	.922 \| —	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2011–12 \| Nikkō Ice Bucks \| ALIH \| 35	—	—	—	—	2,002	92	4	2.76	.930 \| 5	—	—	277	14	1	3.03	.926
2012–13 \| Nikkō Ice Bucks \| ALIH \| 30	—	—	—	—	1,793	92	4	2.54	.932 \| —	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2013–14 \| Nikkō Ice Bucks \| ALIH \| 37	—	—	—	—	2,107	93	—	2.65	.919 \| —	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2014–15 \| Esbjerg Energy \| DEN \| 34	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	3.04	.887 \| 14	—	—	—	—	—	3.25	.886
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2015–16 \| Nikkō Ice Bucks \| ALIH \| 18	—	—	—	—	1,037	36	—	2.08	.933 \| 2	—	—	80	8	—	6.00	.852
2016–17 \| Nikkō Ice Bucks \| ALIH \| 22	—	—	—	—	1,276	43	—	2.02	.927 \| 6	—	—	349	19	—	3.27	.914
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2017–18 \| Nikkō Ice Bucks \| ALIH \| 25	—	—	—	—	1,522	73	—	2.88	.909 \| 3	—	—	179	7	—	2.38	.887
2018–19 \| Nikkō Ice Bucks \| ALIH \| 20	—	—	—	—	1,132	51	1	2.70	.908 \| —	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2019–20 \| Nikkō Ice Bucks \| ALIH \| 24	—	—	—	—	1,334	68	0	2.41	.892 \| —	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2022–23 \| Nikkō Ice Bucks \| ALIH \| 13	8	5	—	0	782	27	3	2.07	.932 \| 2	0	2	117	5	0	2.56	.918
bgcolor="f0f0f0" \| 2023–24 \| Nikkō Ice Bucks \| ALIH \| 27	13	11	—	0	1,481	81	3	3.28	.902 \| —	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3"\| NHL totals ! 4 !! 0 !! 3 !! — !! 0 !! 97 !! 7 !! 0 !! 4.37 !! .837 ! — !! — !! — !! — !! — !! — !! — !! —

=International=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" ID="Table3" style="text-align:center; width:60em"
ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! Year ! Team ! Event ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" \| ! GP !! W !! L !! T !! MIN !! GA !! SO !! GAA !! SV%
2000 \| Japan \| U18-B \| 5	—	—	—	—	—	—	2.81	.909
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2000 \| Japan \| WJC-C \| 1	1	0	0	—	—	—	1.00	.933
2001 \| Japan \| WJC-II \| 3	2	1	0	—	—	0	2.68	.915
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2002 \| Japan \| WC \| 5	0	3	2	299	18	0	3.61	.893
2010 \| Japan \| WC-I \| 3	1	2	0	177	6	0	2.04	.939
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2013 \| Japan \| WC-IA \| 5	2	3	0	299	16	0	3.21	.905
2014 \| Japan \| WC-IA \| 4	3	1	0	288	11	0	2.29	.924
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2015 \| Japan \| WC-IA \| 5	2	3	0	258	11	0	2.56	.901
2016 \| Japan \| WC-IA \| 1	0	0	0	20	1	0	3.00	.667
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2017 \| Japan \| WC-IB \| 5	4	1	0	281	11	0	2.36	.921
2018 \| Japan \| WC-IB \| 3	3	0	0	181	8	0	2.65	.877
bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan=4\| Senior totals ! 31 !! 15 !! 13 !! 2 !! 1803 !! 82 !! 0 !! 2.73 !! —