Nippon Paper Cranes
- Alias
- East Hokkaido Cranes
- Leagues Played
- Asia League 149 Japan Cup 3
- Links
- Wikipedia
Results
| Asia League | 03/23 06:00 | - |
Tohoku Free Blades
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East Hokkaido Cranes
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- | CANC | |
| Asia League | 03/17 06:00 | - |
East Hokkaido Cranes
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Red Eagles Hokkaido
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- | CANC | |
| Asia League | 03/16 06:00 | - |
East Hokkaido Cranes
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Red Eagles Hokkaido
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- | CANC | |
| Asia League | 03/10 06:00 | - |
Yokohama Grits
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East Hokkaido Cranes
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- | CANC | |
| Asia League | 03/09 06:00 | - |
Yokohama Grits
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East Hokkaido Cranes
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- | CANC | |
| Asia League | 03/03 06:00 | - |
Nikko Ice Bucks
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East Hokkaido Cranes
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- | CANC | |
| Asia League | 03/02 06:00 | - |
Nikko Ice Bucks
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East Hokkaido Cranes
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- | CANC | |
| Asia League | 02/25 06:00 | - |
East Hokkaido Cranes
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Yokohama Grits
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- | CANC | |
| Asia League | 02/24 06:00 | - |
East Hokkaido Cranes
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Yokohama Grits
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- | CANC | |
| Asia League | 02/18 06:00 | - |
Anyang Halla
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East Hokkaido Cranes
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- | CANC | |
| Asia League | 02/17 06:00 | - |
Anyang Halla
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East Hokkaido Cranes
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- | CANC | |
| Asia League | 01/21 06:00 | - |
Red Eagles Hokkaido
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East Hokkaido Cranes
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- | CANC |
Wikipedia - East Hokkaido Cranes
The East Hokkaido Cranes (Japanese: ひがし北海道クレインズ Higashi Hokkaidō kureinzu) were a professional ice hockey team based in Kushiro, Japan. They played their home games at the Kushiro Ice Arena.
History
The East Hokkaido Cranes formed in April 2019, as a phoenix club following the demise of the Nippon Paper Cranes franchise. The Paper Cranes had previously existed for 70 years; however, their owners, Nippon Paper Industries, announced in December 2018 that the team would be put up for sale as a result of corporate streamlining and declining revenues. No buyer was found, and as a result the team folded.
The East Hokkaido Ice Hockey Club LLC, led by Tanaka Shigeki, announced that they had secured ¥125 million of founding, enabling the establishment of the new team. Asia League Ice Hockey chairman Sumio Kobayashi announced on 23 April 2019 that the new franchise would join the league, replacing the Paper Cranes, whilst retaining 15 players.
The Cranes played their first regular season game on 31 August 2019, losing 3–2 to the Nikkō Ice Bucks, with forward Taiga Irikura scoring the first goal in franchise history.
The Nippon Paper Cranes play in the Asia League Ice Hockey, which is the top professional ice hockey league in Asia. The team has won the league championship six times, most recently in the 2016-2017 season. The team also won the Japan Ice Hockey League championship 17 times before the league merged with the Asia League.
The team's home arena is the Kushiro Ice Arena, which has a seating capacity of 3,000. The team's colors are blue and white, and their logo features a paper crane with a hockey stick.
The Nippon Paper Cranes have a strong fan base in Japan and are known for their fast-paced, aggressive style of play. The team has also been successful in developing young Japanese players, many of whom have gone on to play for the Japanese national team.
Overall, the Nippon Paper Cranes are a respected and successful ice hockey team in Japan and Asia, with a rich history and a bright future ahead.