Mel Wakabayashi - Japanese Hockey

Japanese Hockey

In January 1967, Wakabayashi signed with the Detroit Red Wings and was assigned to play with the Red Wings' farm club in Memphis, Tennessee. He played in 1967 for the Memphis Red Wings and the Johnstown Jets. However, as one columnist later observed, "5-6, 150 pound Japanese forwards were not in great demand in the National Hockey League." In 1968, Wakabayashi moved to Japan where he played 11 years in the Japan Ice Hockey League, mostly for the Kokudo Bunnies. He was regularly among the league's leading scorers and played seven consecutive seasons without a penalty. While still playing, Wakabayashi also became the team's head coach in 1978. Wakabayashi also coached the Japan men's national ice hockey team at several international events, including the 1980 Winter Olympics. He continued to coach in the Japanese Hockey League until 1994.