Jori Lehterä facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lehterä in 2016
Born	(1987-12-23) 23 December 1987 (age 37) Lempäälä, Finland
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	212 lb (96 kg; 15 st 2 lb)
Position	Centre
Shoots	Left
Liiga team Former teams	HIFK Tappara Jokerit Lokomotiv Yaroslavl Sibir Novosibirsk St. Louis Blues Philadelphia Flyers SKA Saint Petersburg Spartak Moscow
National team	Finland
NHL Draft	65th overall, 2008 St. Louis Blues
Playing career	2006–present

Medal record
Ice hockey
Representing  Finland
Winter Olympics
Bronze	2014 Sochi
World Championships
Silver	2014 Belarus

Jori Jonatan Lehterä (born 23 December 1987) is a Finnish professional ice hockey player. He plays as a centre, which is a key attacking position in hockey. Jori currently plays for HIFK in the Liiga, which is Finland's top ice hockey league. He was chosen by the St. Louis Blues in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. Jori Lehterä has also won a bronze medal with the Finnish national team at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Jori Lehterä's Hockey Journey

Jori Lehterä started his hockey journey playing for the Jokerit junior team. He was a top scorer there. This success helped him join Jokerit's main team in the Liiga (then called SM-liiga) in 2006. He was also selected to play for Finland in the 2006 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. Unfortunately, an injury prevented him from playing in that tournament. In April 2007, he signed a three-year contract with another Finnish team, Tappara.

Drafted by the St. Louis Blues

The St. Louis Blues picked Jori Lehterä in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. He was the 65th player chosen overall. After being drafted, he moved to North America for a short time in the 2008–09 season. He played seven games for the Peoria Rivermen in the American Hockey League (AHL). The Rivermen were a minor league team connected to the Blues.

Returning to Finland and Becoming MVP

After his brief time in the AHL, Jori returned to Tappara in Finland. He finished the 2008–09 season there. In the 2009–10 season, he had an amazing year. He scored 19 goals and made 50 assists, totaling 69 points. Because of his outstanding performance, he was named the SM-liiga's Most Valuable Player (MVP). This award goes to the best player in the league.

Playing in the KHL and Olympics

After his success in Finland, Jori Lehterä moved to the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). This is a major league with teams from Russia and other countries. He played one season for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in 2010–11. Then, he joined Sibir Novosibirsk and played there from 2011 to 2014. In his last season with Sibir Novosibirsk (2013–14), he led his team in points with 44.

Olympic Success with Finland

Jori Lehterä's strong play in the KHL earned him a spot on the Finnish national team. He played in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. He scored one goal and made three assists in four games. His team won a bronze medal, which is a great achievement for any athlete.

Joining the NHL's St. Louis Blues

On July 1, 2014, Jori Lehterä signed a two-year contract with the St. Louis Blues. This was the team that first drafted him in 2008. He quickly made an impact in the NHL. From November 10–17, 2014, he was named the NHL's First Star of the Week. This was because he scored four goals and made two assists in just three games for the Blues.

Moving to the Philadelphia Flyers

Jori Lehterä played for the St. Louis Blues until 2017. On June 23, 2017, he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers. This trade happened during the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. The Blues traded Jori and two draft picks to the Flyers in exchange for another player, Brayden Schenn.

Return to the KHL and Finnish Liiga

After his time in the NHL, Jori Lehterä returned to the KHL. He signed a one-year contract with SKA Saint Petersburg on June 6, 2019. In the 2019–20 KHL season, he scored 15 goals and had 30 points. The season ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After that contract, he signed another one-year deal with Spartak Moscow on May 12, 2020.

Coming Back to Finland's Top League

On June 16, 2022, Jori Lehterä made a big move. He returned to play in the Finnish Liiga for the first time in 12 years. He signed a one-year contract with his former club, Tappara. Tappara was also the reigning champion of the Liiga at that time. He then joined HIFK in 2023, where he continues to play.

Family Connections

Jori Lehterä has a family connection to ice hockey. His uncle, Tero Lehterä, was also a professional ice hockey player. Tero was part of the Finnish team that won a gold medal at the 1995 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships.

Awards and Honours

Jori Lehterä has received many awards and honours throughout his career: