Former Canucks Yushiroh Hirano officially gives up the North American dream

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Cooper Godin
July 15, 2024 (11:06)

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A former Vancouver Canucks prospect Yushiroh Hirano has decided to leave North America for the 2024-25 season.

A post on social media on Monday revealed that Yushiroh Hirano has agreed to terms on a one-year contract with Austrian club HC Innsbruck in the ICE Hockey League.

For those unfamiliar with the ICE Hockey League, it comprises 13 teams in central Europe, including Austria, northern Italy, Hungary, and Slovenia.

"The HC TIWAG Innsbruck announced the signing of Yushiroh Hirano. The 28-year-old will be the first from Japan to play in the win2day ICE Hockey League. The forward joins the Sharks from the Adirondack Thunder of the East Coast Hockey League.

#UnitedByPassion #ICEtransfers"

Hirano, 28, joined the Vancouver Canucks organization in early 2021 after signing a professional tryout contract with their American Hockey League in Abbotsford. He would go on to play parts of two seasons for the Abbotsford Canucks between the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons, putting up 16 points (seven goals, nine assists), 34 penalty minutes and a minus-eight.

The Tomakomai, Japan native then left the Canucks organization as a free agent last summer, signing a one-year deal with the Utica Comets. Hirano would only appear in four AHL games for Utica last season and spent most of the year in the ECHL with Adirondack Thunder, registering 54 points in 59 games.

Do you think Yushiroh Hirano will return to North America following the 2024-25 season? Let us know what you think in the poll below.