Haruko Toko of Japan is currently leading the SDHL in scoring, showing the promise of Japanese players moving to leagues across the globe.
Haruko Toko of Japan is currently leading the SDHL in scoring, showing the promise of Japanese players moving to leagues across the globe.
While the world will be watching Akane Shiga when she steps on the ice with Ottawa hoping to earn a roster spot in the PWHL, the world needs to be watching the rise of several Japanese players, including Haruko Toko, across the globe.
Japan recognized a drop in their success on the international stage, and immediately players left the weak domestic league, and dispersed across the globe to gain competition, and regain Japan's footing among the best women's hockey nations.
Currently, Toko, 26, is leading this resurgence, and is also leading the SDHL in scoring. Considered the best league on the planet aside from the PWHL, Toko has 18 points in 11 games for Linkoping, after increasing her season totals from 17 points, to 27 points the past two years in the league. This year she's on pace to crush those totals, and is currently outscoring national team stars from Finland, Sweden, Germany, Austria, Czechia, Hungary, and Norway to lead the league.
Toko, however, is one of seven Japanese players in the SDHL, the most from the nation in league history.
This cohort in the SDHL aren't alone across Europe and North America this year from Japan.
In Switzerland, Yoshino Enomoto is off to a strong start scoring more than a point per game with Lugano.
At the college level, there are Japanese players in both the NCAA (four) and USports (two).