Opinion | Kailer Yamamoto and the spirit of ‘Taro Tsujimoto’ lives on as the NHL readies for its first Asian superstar
- A harmless prank in the 1970s by the Buffalo Sabres now looks like a reality as players of Asian descent are making an impact in the NHL
- Kailer Yamamoto and Nick Suzuki are part of a first wave showcasing the growing diversity of North America and its accompanying sports leagues
The legend of Taro Tsujimoto from the Tokyo Katanas is an oft-forgotten, quirky part of the National Hockey League’s history.
Buffalo Sabres general manager George “Punch” Imlach drafted an imaginary player in 1974 because the league conducted the draft in secret due to competition, which meant painstakingly calling all the teams over and over for each round, a process that took two days.
Imlach and then-director of communications Paul Wieland were so bored waiting by the phone, that, when they finally got to the 11th round, Imlach couldn’t take it any more and decided on a whim to make up a fake player. Tsujimoto, the name of a local farm in the area run by a Japanese family, and Taro (one of the most common names for boys in Japan) were born out of thin air.
The press jumped all over the pick to start the NHL season and the prank was soon unearthed as harmless fun. But head to KeyBank Centre in Buffalo where the Sabres currently play and you will still spot people sporting “his” made-up jersey with the number 74 some 50 years later.
What was a bit of fun to fight boredom turned into a long-standing legend with the team, one that now seems to hold special meaning as the NHL is on the brink of exploding, diversity wise, led by players of Asian descent. Now, the NHL is fast becoming a multicultural hotbed.
