Jere Lehtinen
Jere Kalervo Lehtinen (* June 24, 1973 in Espoo ) is a retired Finnish professional ice hockey player who played during his active career, among other things for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League.
- 2.1 International
- 3.1 International
Career
Jere Lehtinen began his career as a 17 -year-old at Kiekko - Espoo in Finnish SM- liiga professional league. Since his home club in 1993 descended from the SM- liiga, he moved to the then top club TPS Turku. In TPS, he played along with Saku Koivu in a row and won with his team the main round of the SM - liiga, but failed in the play-off finals at Jokerit Helsinki. In the following season TPS reached Lehtinen winning the Finnish Championship. After this success, he signed a contract with the Dallas Stars, the franchise - then as Minnesota North Stars active - had selected him in the NHL Entry Draft in 1992 in the fourth round.
After just one game for the farm team of the stars, the Michigan K- Wings, was appointed the Finn in the NHL squad and then became part fixed to this. In the following three years he established himself in the team and in the league. At the end of 1996/ 97, the striker was nominated as Best Defensive Forward of the League for the first time for the Frank Selke Trophy J.. The following season was even more successful for Lehtinen, as he participated in the 48th National Hockey League All-Star Game and won the season-ending with the Selke Trophy. In the summer of 1998, the Stars committed right winger Brett Hull. Since this was to play with center Mike Modano and Lehtinen in a row, moved Lehtinen side and played in the following years on the left wing attack. The season 1998/99 was very successful for his team as it moved into the play-off final of the Stanley Cup. There it met the Buffalo Sabres, who were defeated 4-2 after six games. Lehtinen contributed in the last game ever a goal and an assist in, he also set a new personal record levels and again won the Selke Trophy. This was only the third player in the NHL history to defend the trophy at this time.
The season 1999/2000 was marked for the winger injuries. He completed a total of only 17 games of the regular season, as he, inter alia, elbow fracture closing without the needed surgery. Only in the playoffs he was fully operational again and helped the Stars to in the playoff finals, in which they were subject to the New Jersey Devils. After many injuries Lehtinen was again in the following season set his class to the test and contributed 45 points scorer at reaching the playoffs.
The 2001/02 season was a success for the defensively oriented winger, although the Stars missed the playoffs. He scored 25 goals and 24 assists, had a positive plus / minus stats by 27, was again invited to the All- Star Game that he had to cancel due to injury, and was both the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, and the Selke Trophy nomination. In the end, he finished in seventh place in the election for Bing Trophy and second place at the Selke Trophy. All these personal successes he could excel in the following season yet. With 31 goals, he was the best scorer of the stars and set a new personal record. His plus / minus stats by 39 was the best of the stars and the fourth- best in the entire NHL, so that he was again nominated for the Selke Trophy. This he won at season's end, making it only the third NHL player who received this award three times.
In the following two years he had to struggle with knee injuries and was able to recuperate during the lockout in the 2004/ 05 NHL season. With healthy knees he was in the 2005 /06 back to the leading players of the Stars, scoring 33 goals. Once again, he was nominated for the Selke Trophy, but finished only third in the voting. The following year the game was less successful, as it reached only 26 goals in the regular season, the Stars were defeated in the first playoff round and the Finn scored no point scorer in this. Successful began in the 2007/08 season, when he was able to achieve six goals and 13 assists in the first 21 games. Then he suffered a groin injury. This enabled him to re-engage into the game until February 2008, and reached with his team the Western Conference Finals against the eventual champions, the Detroit Red Wings. In the series over a maximum of seven games he suffered a leg injury, so he missed the last four games against Detroit.
The 2008 /09 began as the previous ended - with an injury - early October 2009 In all, he missed 34 NHL games and so came only on 24 points scorer, while the Dallas Stars missed the playoffs.. End of June 2009, he received from his franchise a new one-year contract.
Lehtinen is still the only Finnish player who has won both the Stanley Cup and a gold medal at the Ice Hockey World Championship.
Play
He was particularly distinguished by its defensive power for which he the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the best defensive received aligned attacker the NHL three times. Here, his game is body contoured but very fair. In addition to his excellent defensive play, he developed over the years also very good offensive skills, so that he was multiple times top scorer in the Stars.
Internationally
Jere Lehtinen began early in his career to represent his country at international championships. In 1990 he took part in the U18 European Junior Championships, where he finished fourth with the U18 selection Finland. A year later, he played in both the U18 Junior Championships, as well as the U20 World Cup. In 1992, he again played for the U20 selection in the World Cup before he received his first nomination for the National Men's and took in the World Cup 1992. There he won a 19 -year-old with the national team the silver medal.
It was followed by other appearances at World Championships, Olympic Winter Games and World Cup of Hockey tournaments. One of the greatest successes of his career is one of winning the gold medal at the 1995 World Cup, where he played with Saku Koivu and Ville Peltonen in an attack formation, which was completely elected to the All- Star team of the tournament. Other major successes were the three Olympic medals he won in 1994 ( bronze ), 1998 (Bronze ) and 2006 ( silver).
Awards and achievements
Internationally
Career Stats
Internationally
Represented Finland at:
- U18 European Junior Championships 1990
- U20 World Junior Championships 1991
- U18 European Junior Championships 1991
- U20 World Junior Championships 1992
- World Cup 1992
- U20 World Junior Championships 1993
- 1994 Winter Olympics
- World Cup 1994
- 1995 World Cup
- World Cup of Hockey 1996
- 1998 Winter Olympics
- 2002 Winter Olympics
- World Cup of Hockey 2004
- 2006 Winter Olympics
- World Cup 2007
- 2010 Winter Olympics
( Key to Career statistics: Sp or GP = Games Played, T or G = goals scored, V or A = achieved assists; Pts or Pts = scored points scorer, SM or PIM = received penalty minutes, / - = Plus / Minus balance sheet; PP = scored majority gates; SH = scored shorthanded goals, GW = achieved victory gates; Play-downs/Relegation 1 )