Nippon Paper Cranes

The Nippon Paper Cranes (日本製紙クレインズ, Nippon Seishi Kureinzu) were an Asia League Ice Hockey team based in Kushiro City in Hokkaidō, Japan.

Nippon Paper Cranes
CityKushiro, Hokkaidō
Founded1949 (1949)
Operated1949–2019
Folded2019
Home arenaKushiro Ice Arena
ColoursBlack, red, white
     
Owner(s)Nippon Paper Group

History

The club was founded as Jūjō Paper Kushiro Ice Hockey Club in 1949. They adopted the new name Nippon Paper Cranes in 1993 when Jūjō Paper and Sanyō Kokusaku Pulp merged to form Nippon Paper.

They won the inaugural Asia League Ice Hockey title in the 2003–04 season, and have won it four times overall. They also have won the All Japan Ice hockey Championship seven times. After the 2018–19 season, the team was dissolved due to financial difficulties, and was replaced by the East Hokkaido Cranes.[1]

Honours
  • Asia League:
    • Winners (4): 2003–04, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2013–14
  • All Japan Championship:
    • Winners (7): 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015

Season-by-season record

Asia League
SeasonGPWW(OT)W(GWS)*TL(GWS)*L(OT)LGFGAPTSFinishPlayoffs
2003–04 16130—0—038049391st/5Won League
2004–05 42310—5—0620685981st/8Lost in finals
2005–06 38302—1—0524066951st/9Lost in finals
2006–07 34271—1—2319879861st/8Won championship
2007–08 30151—2—1119785504th/7Lost in finals
2008–09 361832—23812095694th/7Won championship
2009–10 361833—2010128101683rd/7Lost in finals
2010–11 362121—32714195742nd/7Lost in semi-finals
2011–12 361613—1114128110584th/7Lost in semi-finals
2012–13 421746—339176130773rd/7Lost in semi-finals
Totals 346205171591211761514895——3 Championships

*prior to the 2008–2009 season, there were no shoot-outs and games ended in a tie

Past import players
  • Russia Georgy Yevtyukhin, 1996–97 C
  • Canada Joel Dyck 2003–2009, D
  • Canada Chris Lindberg 2004–05, LW
  • United States Derek Plante 2005–07, D
  • Canada Jamie McLennan 2007–08, G
  • Canada Tyson Nash 2007–08, LW
  • United States Kelly Fairchild 2008–09, C
  • Canada Brad Tiley 2008–09, D
  • Canada Pierre-Olivier Beaulieu 2009–10, D
  • Canada Ash Goldie 2010–11, FW
  • Canada Mike Madill 2010–11, D
  • United States Ray DiLauro 2011, D
  • Canada Tyler Mosienko 2011–12, C
  • Canada John Hecimovic 2011–12, RW

References
  1. "'East Hokkaido Cranes' to succeed Nippon Paper franchise". The Japan Times. 24 April 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
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