When I saw that Akito Hirose recently signed with the Vancouver Canucks, I felt compelled to write this post about both him and his older brother, Taro. Being a resident of East Lansing, Michigan at the time Taro played at Michigan State University provided me plenty of opportunities to watch Taro in action. He finished his collegiate career with 116 points in 106 games as a Spartan. The 2018-19 was a memorable one, as he tied for the lead in NCAA scoring with 50 points, was the Big 10 Player of the Year, and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award. Following the college season, he signed as a free agent with the Detroit Red Wings. With the Wings for the remainder of that season, he registered an additional 7 points (1 goal, 6 assists) in 10 games. In total, he has played 58 games for Detroit, and has totaled 20 points. He has yet to attain the scoring touch at the NHL level he displayed in college, although he has 55 points this season (15 goals, 40 assists) in 68 games with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL.
With respect to Akito, like his brother he played his junior hockey in the British Columbia Hockey League, and was an undrafted free agent signee. Also, he enjoyed much collegiate success, being named the Western Collegiate Hockey Association’s Rookie of the year in 2020-21 while patrolling the blue line for the Minnesota State Mavericks. He earned his scholarship by registering the most points by a defenseman (51) during the 2019-20 season with Salmon Arm in the BCHL. He continues to contribute offensively at the NHL level, with 2 assists in 3 games so far with Vancouver. In addition, he is known in scouting circles as a top-notch defensive defenseman with excellent mobility and intelligence.
On a personal non-technical note, the Hirose brothers are fun players to watch. Viewing him live in his college days, Taro seemed to generate quality chances for both himself and his linemates every time he touched the ice. Watching Akito, his playmaking skill stems from excellent anticipation and vision. In short, both he and Taro are cut from the same family cloth. Here’s hoping for continued success for each of them.