Seibu Prince Rabbits

The Seibu Prince Rabbits (Japanese西武 プリンス ラビッツSeibu Purinsu Rabittsu ) was a Japanese ice hockey team that most recently had its seat in Nishitōkyō, and until 2009 played in the Asia League Ice Hockey.

History

The club was founded in 1966 as Seibu tetsudō Ice Hockey Bu (西武鉄道 アイス ホッケー 部) as factory Club of the railway company Seibu tetsudō (English Seibu Railways Ice Hockey Club ). 1973 this work was Club (国土 計画 アイス ホッケー 部, English Kokudo Keikaku Ice Hockey Club ) laid as Kokudo Keikaku Ice Hockey Bu regardless of the Seibu tetsudō and Karuizawa, Nagano. Kokudo Keikaku heard it to the group at the Seibu tetsudō. In 1974 the club was able for the first time win the Japanese championship, an achievement that could be repeated in the coming years, nine times. In 1984 the club moved to Shinagawa, Tokyo to 1991 was a renewed relocation to Yokohama. In 1992, the company Kokudo Keikaku thus the team named in Kokudo to and. 2003 Kokudo was merged with the Seibu Railways Ice Hockey Club. The seat was moved to Nishitōkyō. In the following years the club twice the newly established Asia League Ice Hockey ( 2005 and 2006) won.

Since 2006, the club (as well as the company Kokudo ) belonged to Prince Hotels - a subsidiary of Seibu Holdings - matches in the men's and the women's team have since been discharged under the name Seibu Prince Rabbits and Seibu Princess Rabbits.

Due to the withdrawal of the main sponsor and the futile search for a new sponsor, the team at the end of the season 2008/2009, on 31 March 2009, was dissolved. In his last season the club won again the runner-up title in the Asia League Ice Hockey.

Well-known former players

• Yutaka Fukufuji, the first Japanese in the NHL goalkeeper of the Los Angeles Kings and