The is an
Asia League Ice Hockey
Asia League Ice Hockey ( ja, アジアリーグアイスホッケー; ko, 아시아리그 아이스하키) or ALIH (AL) is an association which operates a professional ice hockey league based in East Asia, with teams from Japan, South Korea, and ...
team based in
Nikkō, Tochigi,
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...
.
Logo design: The word IceBucks in italicized English in black with white trim, with the words "NIKKO KOBE" in bold italics in orange trimmed with white
Mascot: An orange and white furred male deer wearing a hockey helmet.
History
The Nikkō area has a long history of ice hockey, with the Furukawa Electric semi-professional team (one of the oldest in Japan) having been established in 1925, and becoming a founding member of the Japanese Ice Hockey League in 1966. In 1999, however, the team was forced to disband due to financial difficulties.
A outflow of support from the city and local financing allowed the team to be recreated as a club team, supported locally. It was renamed the HC Nikkō IceBucks and joined the league in time for the next season's start. The team, despite fervent local support, was never one of the successes of the JIHL even when they were supported as Furukawa Electric, and had a rocky start as the HC Nikkō IceBucks, having to relaunch their business model in 2001. The team has consistently placed near or at the bottom of the league.
When the league expanded into the Asia League Ice Hockey, Nikkō was one of the teams that was part of the new league. In the summer of 2005, the team arranged to play a number of its home games in
Kobe, Hyogo
Kobe ( , ; officially , ) is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture Japan. With a population around 1.5 million, Kobe is Japan's seventh-largest city and the third-largest port city after Tokyo and Yokohama. It is located in Kansai region, which ...
, and changed its name to the Nikkō Kobe IceBucks to reflect its new two-city home. In 2007–2008 season Kobe is no longer home and the name was reverted to the older HC Nikkō Ice Bucks.
On January 29, 2020, It was announce that five players would represent Japan in the 3rd round of
qualifiers for the
2022 Beijing Olympics
The 2022 Winter Olympics (2022年冬季奥林匹克运动会), officially called the XXIV Olympic Winter Games () and commonly known as Beijing 2022 (2022), was an international winter multi-sport event held from 4 to 20 February 2022 in Beij ...
.
Honours
*
Japan League championships: none
*
Asia League championships: none
*
All Japan Ice hockey Championship
The All Japan Ice hockey Championship (全日本アイスホッケー選手権大会) is an annual ice hockey tournament for Japanese teams, that began in 1930, making the tournament one of the oldest sporting competitions in the country.
The tou ...
: 2015, 2019
Year-by-year record
JIHL 1999–2004
ALIH 2003–present
complete records for previous seasons
Current roster
Past import players
*
Curt Bennett 1980–82, F
*
Harvey Bennett, Jr. 1980–82, D
*
Eduard Novák 1982–84, F
*
Frantisek Kaberle Sr. 1982–84, D (Father of
Frantisek Kaberle and
Tomas Kaberle)
*
Patrik Degerstedt 1999–2001
*
Martin Kariya
Martin Tetsuya Kariya (born October 5, 1981) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger. He is the youngest brother of former NHL players Paul Kariya and Steve Kariya.
Playing career Amateur
Kariya had a standout NCAA college hockey ...
2004–05, LW (Brother of
Paul Kariya
Paul Tetsuhiko Kariya (born October 16, 1974) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). Known as a skilled and fast-skating offensive player, he played in the NHL for the Might ...
and
Steve Kariya
Steven Tetsuo Kariya (born December 22, 1977) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger and younger brother of former National Hockey League player Paul Kariya. Kariya was born in North Vancouver, British Columbia.
Playing career
Aft ...
)
*
Shjon Podein
Shjon Walter Podein (born March 5, 1968) is an American former professional ice hockey left winger who played 11 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blues.
He ...
2005–06, LW
*
Chris Paradise 2005–06, C
*
Mike Henderson
Mike Henderson (born in Independence, Missouri) is an American singer-songwriter.
Career
Early career
Henderson was an original member of blues group the Bel Airs when they formed in Missouri in 1981. They released an album, ''Need Me a Car'' ...
2006–07, RW
*
Eric LaFreniere 2008–09, RW
*
Mickey Gilchrist 2008–09, C
*
Bud Smith
Robert Allan "Bud" Smith (born October 23, 1979) is an American retired baseball pitcher. Smith was active at the major league level in 2001 and 2002, playing for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Minor leagues
In 2000, Smith led the minor league Cardin ...
2009–11, C
*
Richard Rochefort 2010–11, D/C
*
Andrew Kozek 2011–12, LW
*
Petteri Nummelin
Timo Petteri Nummelin (born November 25, 1972) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League for the Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets. He was drafted by the Columbus Blue ...
2017-18, D
References
External links
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nikko Ice Bucks
Asia League Ice Hockey teams
Ice hockey teams in Japan
Nikkō, Tochigi
Sports teams in Tochigi Prefecture