Jari Kurri facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jari Kurri
Hockey Hall of Fame, 2001
Kurri in 2016
Born	(1960-05-18) 18 May 1960 (age 65) Helsinki, Finland
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	198 lb (90 kg; 14 st 2 lb)
Position	Right wing
Shot	Right
Played for	Jokerit Edmonton Oilers Devils Milano Los Angeles Kings New York Rangers Mighty Ducks of Anaheim Colorado Avalanche
National team	Finland
NHL Draft	69th overall, 1980 Edmonton Oilers
Playing career	1977–1998
Medal record Representing  Finland Men's ice hockey Winter Olympics Bronze 1998 Nagano Team Canada Cup Bronze 1991 Canada World Championships Silver 1994 Italy European Championship Bronze 1991 Finland World Junior Championships Silver 1980 Finland IIHF European Junior Championships Gold 1978 Finland

Jari Pekka Kurri (born May 18, 1960) is a famous Finnish former professional ice hockey player. He is known as one of the greatest players from Europe in the history of the National Hockey League (NHL). For 17 seasons, he played as a right wing for five NHL teams, including the Edmonton Oilers and the Los Angeles Kings.

Kurri won the Stanley Cup five times with the Oilers. He was a key part of their success in the 1980s. In 2001, he became the first Finnish player to be added to the Hockey Hall of Fame. In 2017, he was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players. After his playing career, Kurri became the general manager and owner of the Finnish team Jokerit.

Playing Career

Starting in Finland (1977–1980)

Jari Kurri started his professional career in his home country of Finland. He played for the team Jokerit in the Finnish league called SM-liiga. He played for Jokerit for three seasons, getting better each year.

In 1979, Kurri played for the Finnish national team in a game against the Edmonton Oilers. Even though Finland lost, Kurri played so well that the Oilers' managers were very impressed. This game was very important for his future career.

The Famous Edmonton Oilers Years (1980–1990)

In the 1980 NHL Entry Draft, most NHL teams didn't pick Kurri. They thought he still had to do his required military service in Finland. But the Oilers had checked with the Finnish government and learned he had already finished it. They smartly picked him in the fourth round of the draft. This is now seen as one of the best draft choices ever made.

When Kurri joined the Oilers, he was put on a line with the legendary Wayne Gretzky. They quickly became one of the best goal-scoring pairs in NHL history. Gretzky assisted on 364 of Kurri's goals, and Kurri assisted on 196 of Gretzky's.

Kurri was known for being a great all-around player. He was excellent at scoring goals and also at playing defense. The Oilers team in the 1980s was full of future Hall of Fame players like Mark Messier and Paul Coffey. Together, they won four Stanley Cups. After Gretzky was traded in 1988, Kurri helped lead the team to one more Stanley Cup victory in 1990.

Amazing Records with the Oilers

Kurri achieved many incredible things with Edmonton.

• He won five Stanley Cups (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990).
• In the 1984–85 season, he scored an amazing 71 goals.
• In the 1985 playoffs, he scored 19 goals, which tied an NHL record. This included four hat tricks (three goals in one game), which is still a record for a single playoff year.
• On November 19, 1983, he scored five goals in a single game.

Later Career Moves (1990–1998)

After the 1990 season, Kurri decided to play in Italy for one year. He played for HC Devils Milano and was a star player there.

The next year, he returned to the NHL. His rights were traded to the Los Angeles Kings, where he was reunited with Wayne Gretzky. In 1993, they helped the Kings reach the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time. Kurri played well for the Kings for several seasons.

Kurri playing for the Colorado Avalanche in 1997.

During a break in the NHL season in 1994, Kurri returned to Finland to play for his old team, Jokerit. He played alongside another Finnish star, Teemu Selänne.

After his time with the Kings, Kurri had short stays with the New York Rangers and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. He finished his career with the Colorado Avalanche in the 1997–98 season. While playing for the Avalanche, he scored his 600th career NHL goal.

Legacy as a Hockey Great

Jari Kurri left a huge mark on the sport of ice hockey. When he retired, he was the highest-scoring European player in NHL history, with 601 goals and 1,398 points. Other players have since passed his records, but he remains one of the top European players of all time.

He is third in all-time playoff scoring, behind only his teammates Gretzky and Messier. His number 17 jersey has been retired by the Edmonton Oilers, the Finnish national team, and Jokerit. This means no other player on those teams can wear that number, as a sign of respect.

In 2000, he was added to the IIHF Hall of Fame. A year later, in 2001, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Canada.

Playing for Finland

Jari Kurri watches the Finnish national team play at the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Kurri had a long and successful career playing for his country, Finland. He first played for the national team at the 1980 Winter Olympics.

Because NHL players couldn't always play in international events, Kurri missed some tournaments. However, he played in several World Championships and Canada Cup tournaments.

His biggest international success came late in his career. At the 1994 World Championships, he helped Finland win a silver medal. At the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, he played a key role in Finland's bronze medal victory over Canada. In that game, Kurri scored his last-ever goal for the Finnish national team.

Life After Hockey

Jari Kurri as the general manager of Jokerit.

After retiring as a player, Kurri stayed involved in hockey. He worked as the general manager for the Finnish national team, helping to select players and assist the coaches.

Later, he became the general manager for Jokerit when the team joined the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). In 2019, he bought the team, becoming its owner. He sold his part of the team in 2022.

Personal Life

Kurri is married to Vanessa Kurri, a former Miss Finland. They have four children together. Kurri also has two sons from his first marriage. His former teammate and good friend, Wayne Gretzky, is the godfather to his older sons.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Bold indicates led league
Bold italics indicate NHL record

International

Achievements

NHL

SM-Liiga

International

See also

In Spanish: Jari Kurri para niños

• 50 goals in 50 games
• List of members of the Hockey Hall of Fame
• Hockey Hall of Fame
• List of NHL statistical leaders
• List of NHL players with 1000 points
• List of NHL players with 500 goals