Yutaka Fukufuji knows it's a long, hard road to the NHL but that's a trip the Japanese goalie is prepared to take even if it means riding the buses in hockey's backwaters for a few more years.
Fukufuji signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Los Angeles Kings earlier this month. The 22-year-old goaltender will attend a Kings' rookie camp next month. If he doesn't make it with the Kings, he'll likely be assigned to LA's American Hockey League farm team, the Manchester Monarchs.
"My goal is to play in the NHL," Fukufuji said at a press conference Thursday. ``I know it will be tough but I'm ready for rookie camp and I'm looking forward to taking on my rivals.''
The 1.85m, 77km Fukufuji was selected by the Kings 238th overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. He played for the Bakersfield Condors in 2004-2005 and posted 27 wins, with three shutouts and a 2.48 goals-against average while helping the team to the East Coast Hockey League playoffs.
While some have likened Fukufuji to baseball's Hideo Nomo or soccer's Hidetoshi Nakata, the soft-spoken goaltender says he's got other things on his mind than being a pioneer.
"I'm not thinking about becoming the first Japanese player in the NHL," Fukufuji said. "Sure, if it happens, I'll be happy but right now I've got a lot of work ahead of me."
Fukufuji made his pro debut in North America on Feb. 7, 2003, with the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL.
He was the ECHL rookie of the month in January when he won seven straight games and posted his first pro shutout. Fukufuji said the toughest part of playing in places like Bakersfield and Cincinnati are the endless bus rides.
"The bus rides are tough," said Fukufuji, who grew up on Japan's northernmost island of Hokkaido.
Fukufuji began playing hockey at the age of nine. He preferred it over the other sports in which he was involved.
Other than the prospect of stopping a Mario Lemieux slap shot, Fukufuji says his biggest challenge will be mastering English.
"I can't speak English very well but I'm working on it," said Fukufuji, who watches reruns of Seinfeld to practice his English.
Fukufuji, who said he wasn't even aware of the NHL when growing up in Hokkaido, said his favorite goalie is Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils.
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