In Nishitokyo, Japan, the hometown of Prince George Spruce Kings forward Kazumo Sasaki, hockey is considered a fringe activity that not many kids play.
“You can’t compare it to what hockey is in North America , it’s a minor sport for sure and that’s why I came here,” said Sasaki. “There’s not such a thing as minor hockey in Tokyo, there’s only the high school league, a couple hundred players.”
That’s out of a Tokyo metropolitan population of 38 million.
Sasaki’s dad played recreational hockey while he was in college and the rink was only three minutes from their home. Kazumo started skating at a young age and before long was playing with his dad’s team.
Sasaki, who turns 18 on Dec. 24, came to North America four years ago to play academy hockey in Cambridge, Ont. That led to a job last season playing in the North American Hockey League for the Chippewa Steel. He put 12 goals and 26 points in 54 games and played well enough to earn a college scholarship next year at Lake Superior State.
That was a huge step for me and it took a little long to get used to it but I finished the year strong so it was a good experience for me,” said Sasaki.
“It’s been awesome, I like everything here, we have a great group of guys and off the ice I have great billets and teammates, ”said Sasaki. “Before this I was in Cambridge and Eau Claire (Wisconsin) and I’m kind of used to the environment of a small town.”
The Kings are back for their first home games since Sept. 30 and host the Salmon Arm Silverbacks in two-game weekend set (Friday, 7 p.m.; Saturday 6 p.m.) at Kopar Memoria Arena.
"We have great crowds here and the energy is awesome so I’m really looking forward to it,” Sasaki said.
The college scouts like Sasaki’s speed and his ability to make snap playmaking decisions under pressure. The five-foot-nine, 165-pound Sasaki scored his first BCHL goal last week in West Kelowna, a tap-in set up by Owen Goodbrand. He also has four assists to show for his first six games.
The BCHL’s decision to pull out of Hockey Canada resulted in a rule change that allows each team two non-North American imports and that also brought Swedish import defenceman Max Ranstrom to Prince George. Ranstrom is also committed to Lake Superior State, along with Kings forward Rylan Brady.
Ranstrom, who turns 19 on Dec. 21, has points in all but his first game with the Spruce Kings. He leads the team in scoring with a goal and four assists. He connected on the power play a week ago in Penticton to notch his first BCHL goal.
Hockey is big in Sweden, with an estimated 63,000 minor hockey players out of a population of 10 million and Ranstrom grew up playing the game with his friends in Filipstad, a city of about 11,000.
This is his first taste of North American life.
“At the beginning it was a little bit tough, the time change, the culture, but the longer time goes the more you get used to it and I like it a lot here, it’s kind of like home,” said the five-foot-10, 195-pound Ranstrom. “Compared to Swedish cities, this would be considered a bigger city.”
The biggest adjustment for Ranstrom is the rink size. North American rinks are 15 feet narrower and 10 feet shorter.
“You get to playing at high speed and you can jump on offence more, but at the same time you have more pressure and less time to react, but I like it,” said Ranstrom. “It’s a funner style to play than back home, a lot more quick.
“It’s fun to play here, I like the fans.”
Ranstrom played last year in the Swedish Under-20 National League for Skelleftia AIK, where he had two goals and 12 assists in 36 games. He’s on pace for a 45-point season with the Spruce Kings.
