Condors News
Fukufuji Makes King-Sized Return to Condorstown
Sep 11, 2007

Fukufuji Makes King-Sized Return to Condorstown

First Japanese Player to Appear in NHL Back for Another Go-Round with Bakersfield

Coach Raymond on Fukufuji

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - The Bakersfield Condors have agreed to terms with goaltender Yutaka Fukufuji (you-TOCK- uh foo-KA-foo-jee) for the 2007-08 season, head coach Marty Raymond announced Tuesday.  Per club policy, terms of the deal were not announced.

Fukufuji, who played for the Condors in 2004-05, became the first Japanese-born player to appear in an NHL game last season when he played for the LA Kings against St. Louis on Jan. 13.  He went 0-3-0 in four games with a 4.37 goals-against average and .837 save percentage for the Kings, who selected him in the eighth round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

"It's great to have two good netminders, and we're delighted to have him back," Raymond said. "He has one goal in his return and that's to help bring us a championship."

The 6-foot-1-inch, 186-pound goaltender from Tokyo, Japan chalked up a 27-9-5 record in his only season in Bakersfield.  His 27 wins are tied for fourth best in team history, his 2.48 GAA is second best, and his .919 save percentage is tied for second best.  He's also tied for third on the Condors shutout list with three and is fifth with 1,182 saves.  During that 2004- 05 campaign, he ran off a pair of seven game win streaks, tied for second best all-time, and his 12- game unbeaten streak (9-0-3) is the best in Bakersfield history.

Fukufuji, who turns 25 on Sept. 17, split the last two seasons with the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League and Reading Royals of the ECHL.  He went a combined 4-2-0 with a 1.57 GAA and .948 save percentage in seven games with Manchester, and produced a 28-19-4 record with a 2.93 GAA and a .912 save percentage in 57 games with Reading.

"I'm very happy and feel great about coming back to the Condors," Fukufuji said.  " Bakersfield is a good hockey town with good coaching and the fans are very supportive.  We've got a good team here and I want to do my part to win a championship."

With the return of Fukufuji, there are now 17 players in Condorstown for the 2007-08 season, eight of whom are returnees (Fukufuji, Scott Balan, Sean Venedam, David Kudelka, Andrew Ianiero, Reagan Leslie, Brett Lutes and Jamie Hodson).  Spencer Carbery, Mark Derlago, Evan Kotsopoulos, Louis-Philippe Lachance, Steven Later, Ryan Markham, Tyler Noye, Eric Sonnenberg and Tamas Lencses are the new players coming to Bakersfield.

The Condors begin their 2007-08 10th Anniversary season Friday, Oct. 19.  To view the full 2007-08 schedule, click here.  For more information or to reserve season tickets, mini-plans and book group outings contact the Condors office at 324-PUCK (7825).

Notes from The Nest:
Hodson, who signed with Bakersfield on June 3, will attend training camp with the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL.

Connor James, a teammate of Fukufuji during 2004-05, and Garret Stroshein are the only other Condors who played in the NHL after spending time with Bakersfield.