Hiroyuki Miura

Hiroyuki Miura (in Japanese: 三浦 浩幸, Miura Hiroyuki) (b. December 31st 1973 in Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan) is a professional defenceman. 
Miura became the first Japanese player (the first real Japanese player, after the Taro Tsujimoto prank by Punch Imlach at the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft) to be drafted to the National Hockey League, as the Montreal Canadiens picked him in the 11th round of the 1992 NHL Entry Draft. Miura came to North America and played in the ECHL with the Wheeling Thunderbirds, for a lightning quick span of six games before returning home, joining Kokudo Keikaku HC (a precursor of the now defunct Seibu Prince Rabbits).
Miura played on numerous occasions for the Japanese National Team, including at the 1998 Olympics, where he had the chance of defending his country's honour in front of his countrymates.
Category:Born in 1973
Category:Japanese hockey players
Category:Kushiro HS player
Category:Wheeling Thunderbirds player
Category:Kokudo Keikaku player
Category:Seibu Prince Rabbits player
Category:Member of the Japanese National Team
Category:1998 Olympian