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***eddiesnothere*** · 02-05-2023, 02:15 AM

As we close in on 70 seasons of the SHL, I find it prudent to look into the global reach of the game, and where we’ve seen some of our stars shine and what their careers turned into. The SHL has stood for the growth of hockey on a scale never dreamed of before, and the first venture of the growth of the game was undoubtedly its scaling crop of talent in Asia.

As we go country-by-country, we look at how the growth of the game has expanded from a few hot-spots to around the globe.

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Japan

Japan:

In Season 14, Japan was introduced to the SHL with Daisuke Katsu, a bruising forward taken 29th Overall in the NWJHL Draft (which, for newer users, was round number five). Due to the dark period that the early seasons produced, we don’t have good data for what his rookie campaign looked like, but from a mid-season interview, we can see Katsu struggled to produce while on the 1st line, betraying that the young forward was considering a more points-heavy role. Katsu was selected 16th overall by the SHL’s Minnesota Chiefs, and was voted the NWJHL’s Most Underrated Player, the first player of Asian-decent to win an award in either league. Katsu’s run ended abruptly when his user, leotfatu, was grounded after an SHL video auto-played during school. An ignominious end to a landmark player in the league.
Career Totals (SHL/NWJHL): 92 GP, 20 G, 25 A, 45 Points

The next season, the SHL welcomed one of what would turn into many Brick Wall goaltenders. Reaching a maximum of 262 TPE, he flamed out (haha) after being drafted by the Calgary Dragons, and retired shortly after.
Career Totals (SHL/NWJHL): 71 GP, 34 W, 25 L, 9 OTL, 69 Starts, Career .888 S%

In Season 20, Jackson Rodgers-Tanaka appeared on the scene, and became the second Asian-born player drafted by the Kelowna Knights (4th Round, 19th Overall). Rodgers-Tanaka is also the first player with stats saved due to a sig, meaning we know exactly how he did. With a great rookie campaign (22 points in 40 games), Jackson was drafted 20th Overall by the Edmonton Blizzard, and became a 3-time All Star, and won a Challenge Cup in S28. Rodgers-Tanaka retired with 409 points in 558 games over 11 seasons, and was the Blizzard’s All-Time assist leader when he was done. His #17 is retired by the franchise, and in S38 he became the first Asian-born player to join the SHL Hall of Fame.
Career Totals (SHL): 738 GP, 99 G, 310 A, 409 Points

While Rodgers-Tanaka reigned, players like Akito Yoshida, an inactive, and Sekkusu Gan, who played eight seasons, made little noise as players. Plenty of players in this era appeared and disappeared as fast as they were created, like Gitters Asmada (S26) were simply created and abandoned, simply the passing fad for a person who never visited the site again.
Sekkusu Gan Career Totals (SHL): 450 GP, 52 G, 50 A, 102 Points

Taro Tsujimoto was the first person player in 12 years to buck the trend. The highest-drafted Asian-born player up to that point, Tsujimoto was drafted 13th by the Vancouver Whalers, and 6th Overall by the Hamilton Steelhawks. Taro enjoyed a productive career, but flamed out due to teammate controversy. Though not the best player, he was the one that made the most noise in that time frame.
Career Totals (SHL): 50 GP, 1 G, 5 A, 6 Points

The next season, Zanarkand Abes came onto the scene. Taken 16th by the Halifax Raiders, the sniper earned high regard quickly with a spot in the SMJHL All-Star Game and an SMJHL Leadership Award. The Texas Renegades selected the star, and he went on to play exactly 500 games, mostly with the Hamilton Steelhawks. He became a productive 20-goal scorer in his prime.
Career Totals (SHL): 500 GP, 150 G, 192 A, 342 Points

Sterling Slaughter appeared on the hockey circle in S35, Drafted by Kelowna 14th overall, he put up fine numbers as a physical , but in the SHL despite 600 games, only put one assist on the board. Still, he was member of the S39 Challenge Cup Champion Minnesota Chiefs.

This period marked the high point for created Japanese players up to that point. Players like Suri Uedo (S35), Dawong Ho (S36), and Katsuo and Airi Yamaguchi (S43 and S44, respectively) made the SHL consider swapping out one IIHF team in favor of Team Japan. At this time, the most venerable young player was Eri Arai, taken 10th in the SMJHL draft by the Whalers, then became the last of four straight Manhattan Rage picks in the S40 Draft (taken 23rd overall). Though an effective offensive defenseman in his own right, Arai’s best season was his first in the SHL, and he remained with the rage for another 250 games, but never put up another point for them, bowing out in S48.
Eri Arai Career Totals (SHL): 300 GP, 3 G, 4 A, 7 Points

But in this era, the standard bearer for Japanese impact players was Hiro Fujikawa, drafted 19th overall by the Montreal Militia. Though limited in usage by the Militia for his first few seasons, upon his trade to Anaheim, he broke out into a dangerous 20-goal sniper. Infamously misnamed in the SHL Draft, Hiro “Fukikawa” found his legs as a secondary scoring threat, potting 40 points once over a 5-season period. Hiro aged out in S58, but found time to play for three other teams, and proudly wore the “A” for the Panthers.
Career Totals (SHL): 586 GP, 128 G, 203 A, 331 Points

At the same time, Kenji Yoshimura, taken 15th in the SMJHL draft by the Armada, enjoyed a less productive but no-less successful career. A playmaking forward Yoshimura played minor minutes for the Panthers, with none of his seasons producing more than 15 points. He would retire in S51.
Career Totals (SHL): 252 GP, 29 G, 39 A, 68 Points

Season #48 was perhaps the second-most productive for the country, with Jack Bauer, Melty HolyBlood, Hide Nagachika, and Satoshi Zizagooney all draft-eligible. Zizagooney, selected 18th by Detroit, was the most productive of the four, playing 200 SMJHL games and never producing less than 20 points a season. As an SHL player, he played for five different teams, and his most productive campaign saw him scoring 31 points, with Seattle. Though he never won a Challenge Cup, Zizagooney was one of the best two-way players in the game, and he blocked a total of 1699 shots, good enough for 16th all-time.
Career Totals (SHL): 828 GP, 78 G, 212 A, 290 Points

But the best player to come out of the SMJHL draft was Emiko Spector, the athletic and venerable goaltender, who for 9 seasons, never posted more losses than wins. At the helm in Edmonton, he never played a season where he was not active in the playoffs. In S57, he won 35 games, and he led the Blizzard to the Conference Final twice.
Career Totals (SHL): 243 GP, 154 W, 73 L, 25 OTL, Career .911 S%

At the 50th year of the SHL’s life, Disisde Dayudie entered the scene, and quickly became the most promising defenseman of his country’s generation. Selected 7th by the Panthers in the SHL draft, he produced well for the five seasons he played in Los Angeles, before he was traded to Chicago, and immediately became a key contributor in the Syndicate’s run of dominance, ending in a S57 Challenge Cup. Dayudie was a consistent blue line presence for 14 seasons. It is possible he will be considered for the Hall of Fame at some point.
Career Totals (SHL): 794 GP, 106 G, 321 A, 427 Points

And then there was Akira Ren. Drafted the same year as Dayide, he has played for 16 SHL seasons, and that’s present tense because he is still under contract with Chicago, and is likely to still be playing on the blue line for the Syndicate. Ren could be relied on to score at least 30 points nine times in his career, and also provided stable defensive consistency. Ren was the first Japanese-born SHL player to reach 2000+ TPE.
Career Totals (SHL): 992 GP, 137 G, 452 A, 589 Points (Still Active)

Rintarou Okabe, still another S50 player, was drafted by Buffalo, and became a reliable center for five years, where they then switched positions, the first Japanese-born player to do so, and became a defenseman, which they remained until their retirement in S62. A small-but-quick playmaker, Okabe helped Buffalo win the S55 Challenge Cup.
Career Totals (SHL): 591 GP, 76 G, 190 A, 266 Points

In S51, Nicholas Owens became the first Japanese-born player to be selected 1st Overall. A defenseman with a keen eye in the offensive zone, Owens also helped the Stampede win the S55 Challenge cup, and is still an active member of the team.
Career Totals (SHL): 992 GP, 135 G, 386 A, 521 Points

One of the most decorated Japanese players is Ryuuji Minamoto. An Elias Armia Trophy winner, Minamoto was drafted by Chicago, and for the past 13 seasons, he’s been a consistent 50+ point scorer, and a deadly goalscoring threat. Minamoto was the first Japanese-born player to win League MVP, and scored 106 points in a single season.
Career Totals (SHL): 842 GP, 367 G, 408 A, 775 Points

Ryosuke Sato, an undersized defender, was drafted 2nd overall by the Toronto North Stars, and has been key producer for the team, and a consistent defensive presence. Named S54’s Most Dedicated Player, Sato spent one career year in Texas, potting 59 points, and earning his first All-Star nomination.
Career Totals (SHL): 792 GP, 95 G, 322 A, 417 Points

Ryu Jones had one meteoric rise over the course of his career. From the 47th overall pick in the SMJHL, to the 3rd overall pick in the draft, Jones was an effective playmaker through much of his career in Anaheim, but struggled to find his scoring touch in Toronto, remaining productive. His breakout would come in Baltimore, where he jumped from averaging about 35 points a season, to averaging about 80 points. An All-Star for four straight seasons with the Platoon, Jones swept the awards stage in S64, adding the Sergei Karpotsov, Sarmad Khan, and Ron Mexico Awards. In S67 he was traded to the Syndicate, and continues his dominance today.
Career Totals (SHL): 736 GP, 272 G, 416 A, 688 Points (Still Active)

With the S56 draft came Yuuto Kira Cloudera Jr., an impressive defenseman with an ability to control his area of the ice. After helping the Citadelles to a Four Star Cup, Cloudera has been a consistent member of the North Stars’ blue line, helping them win a lot of games.
Career Totals (SHL): 528 GP, 41 G, 152 A, 193 Points (Still Active)

S57’s Mew Two made an immediate impact with the Baltimore Platoon. Selected 3rd overall, Mew never produced a season where he didn’t score at least 10 goals. A reliable two-way presence , he has since jumped from Baltimore to Atlanta, and currently hopes to have the best season of his career with the Buffalo Platoon.
Career Totals (SHL): 537 GP, 130 G, 266 A, 396 Points (Still Active)

Shion Okamoto has been a consistent physical impact over the course of his career in Chicago. Despite being selected 48th overall by the Syndicate, the massive defender was a crucial part of their S64 Challenge Cup win, scoring 15 points over the course of the playoffs. His presence on the blue line has been one of many reasons the Syndicate haven’t missed the playoffs since his arrival.
Career Totals (SHL): 539 GP, 81 G, 204 A, 285 Points (Still Active)

Ryuuji Kawashima has been one of the most high-rising Japanese-born players in the SHL so far. Drafted 6th by the Toronto North Stars, the star center didn’t get off to the fastest start. Over three seasons, he failed to reach 40 points, but in S64, a trade to Winnipeg made him into a deadly offensive talent. Since his trade, his lowest points total has been 60, and a 30+ goals-scorer isn’t easy to come by in this league. With Kawashima now playing in Edmonton, it’s likely he’ll continue his increasingly productive career.
Career Totals (SHL): 540 GP, 198 G, 281 A, 479 Points (Still Active)

Meanwhile, Videl Valor, drafted 32nd overall by the Rage, was pinballed from team to team before finding consistent time in Toronto and New Orleans. As with most players, a change of scenery made the difference, as immediately after leaving Calgary, her production finally got a jumpstart, including a 96-point season in S67. Valor is at the moment the best Japanese-born SHL player in the SHL, was one of a small group to become a part of the 2K club.
Career Totals (SHL): 472 GP, 189 G, 200 A, 389 Points (Still Active)

Shoyo Hinata is one of the high risers in the SHL currently. A draft pick of the Edmonton Blizzard, Hinata was traded to the Atlanta Inferno, and was an instant impact player, scoring 40+ points each of his first four seasons in the league. Hinata provided critical clutch playmaking for the Inferno in their Challenge Cup championship in S66.
Career Totals (SHL): 274 GP, 74 G, 155 A, 229 Points (Still Active)

As we enter the present, Japan has certainly made a critical contribution to the SHL’s talent pool. Young players still finding their footing, like Sir Devoir (S66), Damien Hirano (S67), and debuting players Mu Wisconsin and Daisuke Nakamura look to be the forefront of what will continue to be one of the top hockey countries in the world.

Other players to note: Isaac Yamada (S47), Gritty Saosin (S49), Suzuki Namokato (S50), Steven Vassallo (S51), Hiroshi Ohira (S53), Rinako Yukikami (S53), Keisuke Suzuki (S55), Kojo Murata (S55), Yuuto Kira Cloudera Jr. (#1) (S55), Valterri Aalto (S56), Flop Onatopp (S56), Kenji Sugimoto (S56), Rude Sniff (S57), Bigga Foryu (S57), Kou Saotome (S59), Osada Tomura (S60), Satoru Gojo (S60), Senji Seteki (S60), Rusty Remao (S61), Emeril Lagasse (S61), Kentaro Kikuchi (S62), Capy Bara (S65), Portage D. Ace (S65),

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■■■ China ■■■

Surprisingly, China was the first Asian country to debut on the scene in the SMJHL. Frank Jiao, a S7 Draftee, was a hard hitting defensive-minded left winger. Drafted in the 2nd round by the Calgary Dragons, Jiao’s most productive season was S10, where he collected 16 goals and 15 assists. Jiao was also a player in the Dragons’ consecutive Challenge Cup championships. Jiao aged out of the league in S18, ending a landmark career.
Career Totals (SHL): 322 GP, 29 G, 31 A, 60 Points

47 years later, Name Redacted (obviously a working title) appeared in the SHL. China’s first goaltender, Redacted was the 33rd overall pick of the Manhattan Rage. Though he struggled to help the Rage win over the majority of his career, he was a consistent starter, and put together a career with a save percentage of .910. Redacted also helped the Rage make it to the Conference Cup final in S67, the last year of his career.
Career Totals (SHL): 537 GP, 171 W, 307 L, 26 OTL, Career .910 S%

Despite China’s place in SHL’s history, the massive nation has struggled to produce more talent. The most promising player looking to join these ranks is Mushu the Dragon, a player currently drafted by the Minnesota Monarch, playing his way through the SMJHL. Time will tell whether his impact helps to grow the game in his home nation.

Other players to note: Chaoran Shan (S47)

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■■ Taiwan ■■

The tiny island nation saw only brief representation in the annals of SHL history. Their first, and to date only SHL player born in Taiwan, was Jackie Lee. Drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in S10, the physical center played for six different teams over his twelve-year SHL tenure. Though not a noted scorer, he provided consistent third-line contributions, although he earned a reputation as one of the most snake-bitten players in history, having been to the Challenge Cup Final four times in his career, and never winning a Cup for himself.
Career Totals (SHL): 654 GP, 26 G, 55 A, 81 Points

We have not seen all of the sunny island of Taiwan, but when the domino falls that brings professional hockey talent over the Eastern Pond, we do not know yet. Time will tell.

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■■■ South Korea ■■■

The Korean Peninsula was introduced to SHL hockey with Potato Chips, but its first REAL player of note was Taemin Gede, the 40th overall pick of the Hamilton Steelhawks in the S33 SHL Draft, Gede only played 50 games over two seasons, neither with Hamilton. His lone point, an assist, came with the Manhattan Rage in S38. An ignominious start to a country’s hockey
Career Totals (SHL): 50 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 Point.

The first player with staying power was Khan Smeb, a two-way defensive power who was taken 50th overall by the Chicago Syndicate in S47. For the next six years, Smeb served as a third-line gunner for Chicago, providing a reliable defensive presence.
Career Totals (SHL): 300 GP, 8 G, 8 A, 16 Points

In S63, South Korea saw its first real star, San-Sam Emerson, appear on the scene. A large, tough bruising two-way defender like Smeb, Emerson was drafted 6th overall by the Philadelphia Forge, and quickly became one of the best players on the roster, consistently defensively apt, while providing extra scoring help from the back end, consistently running up 20+ points for all of his first 5 seasons. As Emerson continues his meteoric rise, it’s easy to see why he became the catalyst for a new generation of South Korean players.
Career Totals (SHL): 294 GP, 28 G, 93 A, 121 Points

As of today, our most recent addition to this pantheon is yet to show us what he can do in the SHL, that being Jae Hyuk Choi, a quick, deadly left winger who hasn’t been given a fair shake yet in Regina, but will hopefully hone his game into a career that his home country can celebrate.

Other players to note: Potato Chips (S26), Kakashi Hatake

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■■■ North Korea ■■■

The totalitarian country has only seen one interesting addition to its pantheon, a player by the name of Ryan Daly, who declared himself a citizen of North Korea early in his career, despite little documentation to make the acceptable change. He had a short and unsuccessful SMJHL career and went undrafted. The future of hockey in the northern part of the Korean Peninsula is difficult to say.

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■■■ Hong Kong ■■■

The tiny city-state has also had a belated and short time in the spotlight, as winger Gart Cheezit became the first and to date only Hong Kong-born player to play in the SMJHL. He put up a respectable 19 points in his only season with Anchorage. As with North Korea, it seems the hockey program has gone dark.

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■■■ The Philippines ■■■

The Philippines was graced with its first hockey talent when Jed Lloren appeared on the scene. A defensive-minded winger, he was drafted 11th overall in the S20 draft. Lloren became one of only few SHL players to play 20 seasons, and in the 50-game era, played 1057 SHL games. He also played for 6 different SHL franchises, and played with the West Kendall Platoon an astounding four separate times. It was only a matter of time until the playmaker was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Career Totals (SHL): 1057 GP, 336 G, 491 A, 827 Points

The second SHL player to hail from the Philippines was Elle Rush, an accomplished goaltender who served as a backup for three different SHL franchises, never playing more than 12 SHL games. Despite the small sample size of 44 fames, Rush won an astounding 37 of them, and posted a GAA of 1.61.
Career Totals (SHL): 44 GP, 37 W, 5 L, 2 OTL, Career .900 S%

The Philippines’ production of SHL talent has slowed since the days of Rush and Lloren, but I do not consider this avenue closed. There will be a day when Manila produces its next big SHL star, and I can’t wait.

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■■■ Indonesia ■■■

Defenseman Tokek Takshak was selected 8th overall by the Manhattan Rage in S42, an outstanding brusing defender with a solid shot and a shocking quickness. Takshak would play 10 seasons, with the Manhattan Rage and San Francisco Pride, a productive player and a valued member of the teams he played on. Takshak would score 30+ points three times in his career.
Career Totals (SHL): 500 GP, 61 G, 164 A, 225 Points

In stark contrast, Tokek’s brother Simon was a gigantic bruising right winger. Selected 16th overall by the Hamilton Steelhawks, the slight-in-frame-not-weight winger became a somewhat decent contributor, and served for five different SHL franchises (never for the Steelhawks).
Career Totals (SHL): 595 GP, 90 G, 119 A, 209 Points

Should we get another player from Indonesia from GeckoeyGecko, this country will continue to the spoiled. It’s not too likely, though.

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■■■ Mongolia ■■■

Mongolia has seen two players of note in the SHL’s history, that being Benis Smol, who played just 10 SHL games, and upcoming player Tiberius Kane, who is likely to become the first Mongolian-born player to get real SHL experience. From that point, who knows.
Career Totals (SHL): 10 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 2 Points

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■■■ Vietnam ■■■

Vietnam’s one and only star active in hockey is Hai Nam Hoang, currently the Great Falls Grizzlies’ star forward and rising star, Hoang was drafted by the Minnesota Monarchs, and will likely be a solid SHL contributor for the next few seasons after he finishes his stint in the SMJHL.

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▲▲ Nepal ▲▲

The small mountainous nation had a brush with SHL history with the short career of Indesvara Magar, a defenseman who spent a season with the Texas Renegades in Season 37. Since then, no other player has made it into the public light.

■■■ Kazakhstan ■■■

The first player to debut from the Golden Horde was Artom Zhumbayev, a goaltender who was selected 9th overall by the Winnipeg Jets. Over his decorated career, he served for 8 seasons, winning two John McBride trophies, and a Mike Honcho and Anton Razov Trophy. Artom was also instrumental in the Jets’ S44 Challeng Cup. The 2-time All-Star was a shoo-in Hall of Famer in S50, setting the bar high for his country.
Career Totals (SHL): 399 GP, 233 W, 126 L, 40 OTL, Career .908 S%

The next player to note, a rookie, is Munko Aitmukhambetov, a lanky, strong winger who is looking to turn into a big help for the Atlanta Inferno, just waiting for bigger minutes.

REVIEW:

Countries with SHL Players: Japan, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, North Korea, South Korea, Philippines, Indonesia, Mongolia, Nepal, Kazakhstan.
Total Asian-Born SHL players: 83
Countries with prospective players (SMJHL): Mongolia, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand.
Countries without SHL Players (or SMJHL players): Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan.

The SHL’s reach is far and wide, and the world has seen talent from many different places. As we reflect on where the SHL’s Asian representation has taken us, we must stand in awe at what they have given us. The league has gone from a North American and European-dominated game to one that spans every continent. We have seen extraterrestrial and animal players, and we have been graced with incredibly talented players from too many places to name. This all goes back to hockey’s worldwide reach, its ability to touch anyone from a warm cozy family room in Ottawa to the farthest hostile reaches of Nepal, and that reach brings interest from every corner of the world, regardless of religion, race, creed, or political consternation, the SHL has stood for the setting aside of these things, in pursuit of the best hockey product on the wide planet of Earth, and the contributions of the Asian-born SHLers serve as a benchmark for just how far the league has come, and the blank and empty spaces on the map mean there’s more room for the growth of the game.

Word Count: 4296

PremierBromanov · 02-05-2023, 12:29 PM

I will bring great glory to mongolia

vbottas17 · 02-05-2023, 03:58 PM

Awesome article! Piastri's mom was born in Japan.

Monarchs

ACapitalChicago · 02-05-2023, 04:32 PM

Holy shit this is a cool write up. Great work!

S66 Damian Littleton

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Yagoyi · 02-05-2023, 04:52 PM

love this

O4L · 02-05-2023, 05:39 PM

rip parker and daniel smeb

great article though, glad to see Japan

grow so much over the years

"“HA HA! THIS GAME WILL NEVER END! I POSSESS THE SOUL OF EVERY GOALIE ON TEAM B!! CREW 4 LIFE!! SIGN WITH EDMONTON FOR THE CUP!!!” cackled Belial as he placed a Fedora on his head."
SMJHL Commisioner S17-S26
Calgary Dragons GM S14-S23