Valeri Bure facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Valeri Bure
Bure in 2010
Born	(1974-06-13) June 13, 1974 (age 51) Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight	181 lb (82 kg; 12 st 13 lb)
Position	Right wing
Shot	Right
Played for	CSKA Moscow Montreal Canadiens Calgary Flames Florida Panthers St. Louis Blues Dallas Stars
National team	Russia
NHL Draft	33rd overall, 1992 Montreal Canadiens
Playing career	1990–2004
Medal record Ice hockey Representing  Russia Winter Olympics Silver 1998 Nagano Bronze 2002 Salt Lake City World Junior Championships Bronze 1994 Czech Republic

Valeri "Val" Bure (born June 13, 1974) is a former professional ice hockey player from Russia and America. He played as a right winger for 10 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). From 1995 to 2004, he played for teams like the Montreal Canadiens, Calgary Flames, and Florida Panthers.

Valeri was picked by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1992 NHL draft. He played in one NHL All-Star Game in 2000. In the 1999–2000 season, he led the Calgary Flames in scoring. That year, he and his brother Pavel set an NHL record for the most goals by two brothers in one season, with 93 goals combined!

Before joining the NHL, Valeri played junior hockey in Canada. He was the first Russian player in the Western Hockey League (WHL). Valeri also played for Russia in many international games. He won a bronze medal at the 1994 World Junior Championship. He also won two medals at the Winter Olympics: a silver medal in 1998 and a bronze medal in 2002.

Valeri retired from hockey in 2005 because of back and hip injuries. Today, he runs Bure Family Wines, a winery in California, with his wife, actress Candace Cameron Bure. They have been married since 1996.

Early Life and Family History

Valeri Bure was born in Moscow, Soviet Union, on June 13, 1974. His parents are Vladimir and Tatiana Bure. His father, Vladimir, was an Olympic swimmer. He won four medals for the Soviet Union in three Olympic Games between 1968 and 1976.

Valeri's family has a very interesting history. His ancestors were famous for making expensive watches for Russian tsars from 1815 to 1917. Because they were skilled craftsmen for the royal family, they were given noble status.

In 1991, Valeri moved to North America with his father and older brother, Pavel. Pavel was starting his career in the National Hockey League (NHL). Valeri's mother joined them two months later. They first lived in Los Angeles. There, his father Vladimir continued to train both Valeri and Pavel in hockey.

Valeri Bure's Hockey Journey

Junior Hockey Years

Before leaving the Soviet Union, Valeri played three games for HC CSKA Moscow in 1990–91. When he came to North America at 17, he joined the Spokane Chiefs in the Western Hockey League (WHL). He was the first Russian player ever in that league!

In his first WHL season (1991–92), Valeri scored 49 points in 53 games. The Montreal Canadiens chose him in the second round of the 1992 NHL draft. Scouts said he was a great skater and very smart around the net. They also noted he was a good passer and had a quick shot.

Valeri returned to Spokane for the 1992–93 season. He led his team and was second in the entire WHL with 147 points. His 68 goals that season are still a record for the Chiefs team. He was named to the WHL's First All-Star Team. In his final WHL season, he scored 102 points. Overall, Valeri scored 298 points in three seasons with Spokane.

Playing for the Montreal Canadiens

Valeri became a professional player in 1994–95. He spent most of that season with the Fredericton Canadiens, Montreal's minor league team. He scored 23 goals and 48 points in 45 games there. Valeri was called up to Montreal late in the season and made his NHL debut on February 28, 1995. He scored his first NHL goal on March 15. In 24 games with Montreal, he had 3 goals and 1 assist.

In his first full season with Montreal (1995–96), Valeri scored 22 goals and 42 points. The next season, he scored 14 goals and faced injuries like concussions. Valeri was a smaller player in the NHL, standing five feet, ten inches tall. He played on a line with Saku Koivu and Oleg Petrov, who were also small. This trio was known as the "Smurf line" in Montreal!

After playing 50 games in the 1997–98 season, Valeri was traded to the Calgary Flames on February 1, 1998. He was happy about the trade because it meant playing closer to his family. He also felt he would get more chances to play on the young Flames team. He scored his first career hat trick (three goals in one game) soon after joining Calgary.

Success with the Calgary Flames

Valeri's scoring really took off in Calgary. He became one of the team's top scorers. In the 1998–99 season, he scored 26 goals and 53 points, which were third best on the team. He even scored the game-winning goal in four straight games for Calgary at one point!

When star player Theoren Fleury left the Flames, Valeri had to step up as a leader. He did just that in the 1999–2000 season, becoming one of the NHL's top scorers early on. His speed and skating skills helped him a lot. Valeri was chosen to play in the 2000 All-Star Game on the World team, where he played on a line with his brother Pavel. Pavel was named the game's most valuable player, scoring three goals, two of which Valeri assisted!

Valeri finished the season leading the Flames with 35 goals and 75 points. He was the only player on the team to play all 82 games. His brother Pavel scored 58 goals for the Florida Panthers that year. Together, Valeri and Pavel set an NHL record for brothers, combining for 93 goals in one season.

In the 2000–01 season, Valeri scored 27 goals, second on the team. He also had 55 points. On June 24, 2001, the Flames traded Valeri to the Florida Panthers.

Playing for Florida, St. Louis, and Dallas

Valeri joined the Florida Panthers for the 2001–02 season. However, injuries slowed him down. A knee injury required surgery, and he missed 37 games. Another knee injury ended his season early. He played only 31 games and had 18 points that year.

In the 2002–03 season, Valeri struggled with scoring and a wrist injury. With only 5 goals and 26 points in 46 games for Florida, he was traded to the St. Louis Blues on March 11, 2003. Another knee injury kept him out for most of the rest of that season. After the season, he returned to Florida.

Valeri was healthy for the 2003–04 season and was one of the Panthers' top scorers. He reached 20 goals for the fifth time in his NHL career. On March 9, 2004, he was traded to the Dallas Stars. He played on the Stars' top line and scored 7 points in 13 games. He also added three assists in five playoff games.

The entire 2004–05 NHL season was canceled due to a labor dispute. Valeri signed with the Los Angeles Kings for the 2005–06 season. However, a back injury during the preseason kept him from playing. He needed surgery on his back and then on his hip. At 31 years old, Valeri decided to retire from hockey after these surgeries.

International Hockey Career

Bure (far right) and his brother Pavel (center-right) meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) in 2001.

Valeri first played for the Russian national junior team at the 1994 World Junior Championship. He was the top scorer for the Russian team, which won a bronze medal. He was also named to the tournament's All-Star Team. That same year, he played for the senior team at the 1994 World Championship.

After playing in one game at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, Valeri played in his first Olympic Games in 1998. This was the first time he played with his brother Pavel since they were briefly teammates in 1991. Valeri scored one goal, and Russia won the silver medal.

Valeri returned for the 2002 Salt Lake Games. He scored a goal, and Russia won the bronze medal. He was invited to play at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, but he declined because he didn't have an NHL contract at the time.

Life After Hockey

Valeri Bure married actress Candace Cameron Bure on June 22, 1996. They met at a charity hockey game in 1994. They have three children: a daughter named Natasha (born 1998) and two sons, Lev (born 2000) and Maksim (born 2002). Valeri became an American citizen in December 2001.

Valeri decided to retire from hockey in 2005 to spend more time with his family. He wanted to be with his children and allow his wife to return to acting. Valeri and his family are Christians.

In 2007, Valeri and his wife opened a restaurant in Florida called The Milk and Honey Café. They later closed it when their family moved to California. Now, they run a winery called Bure Family Wines in Napa Valley. Valeri became interested in wine during his hockey career. He loves the process of making wine, from the vineyard to the bottle. He even used a special design from his great-grandfather's watch company for his winery's label.

In 2010, Valeri returned to the ice for a TV show called Battle of the Blades. This show paired former professional hockey players with figure skaters. Valeri's partner was Ekaterina Gordeeva. They won the competition and shared a $100,000 prize. Valeri donated his share to Compassion Canada.

Career Statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

Awards and Honors

See also

In Spanish: Valeri Bure para niños

• List of family relations in the NHL
• List of celebrities who own wineries and vineyards