Kai Nurminen
Kai Nurminen ( born March 29, 1969 in Turku ) is a retired Finnish professional ice hockey player who, in the course of his career, among other things for the Los Angeles Kings and the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League as well as TPS Turku and Hämeenlinna HPK in the SM- liiga was active.
Career
Kai Nurminen began his career as a hockey player in 1992 with TPS Turku of the SM - liiga, for which he had already played in youth. DC in his rookie year Nurminen was Finnish Champion for the first time. According to the vice - championship in the following season, the attacker moved to TPS League rivals HPK Hämeenlinna, which, however, he left after only one year in order for HV 71 Jönköping aground in the Swedish Elitserien. In the NHL Entry Draft in 1996, the Finn was finally selected in the eighth round when a total of 193 players from the Los Angeles Kings, for which he in the 1996/97 season in 67 games 27 scorer points, including 16 goals scored. Although Nurminen for Los Angeles regularly stood on the ice, he returned in 1997 to Europe, where he stood for Västra Frölunda from Sweden and Jokerit Helsinki of Finland on the ice.
After one season at HC Davos in the Swiss National League A Nurminen 2000, for the second time Finnish Champion with TPS Turku and reached with his team the third place in the European Hockey League. Prior to the 2000/01 season the winger ventured a second time the jump to the NHL, however, came only twice for the Minnesota Wild used and spent most of the season with their farm team, the Cleveland Lumberjacks of the International Hockey League. After the season, he returned once more to TPS, for those in the SM- liiga, he was active until 2007 and with whom he for the second time runner-up in 2004. After a year at HPK Hämeenlinna Nurminen was taken before the 2008/ 09 season of the Herlev Hornets from the Danish AL-Bank Ligaen under contract, where he ended his career in December 2008.
Internationally
For Finland Nurminen took to the A World Championships in 1996 and 1997, as well as the World Cup of Hockey in 1996 in part.
Awards and achievements
- 2000 Kultainen kypärä
- 2000 Aarne - Honkavaara Trophy
- Lasse Oksanen trophy - 2000
- 2000 Veli -Pekka Ketola trophy -
- 2000 Matti - Keinonen Trophy
- 2000 SM liiga All- Star Team
- 2004 Finnish runner with TPS Turku