Post by Bob McKenzie on Feb 13, 2020 11:55:28 GMT -5
SCOUTING REPORT
7. Jere Lehtinen - Right Wing - Finland - Kiekko-Espoo (Finland)
Lehtinen started his professional career with his hometown team, Kiekko-Espoo. The team was jammed in first division in 1991 but they managed to win the division and gained a spot in the Finnish SM-liiga, from there Lehtinen started his professional career. He spent another year with Kiekko-Espoo, but the team struggled, and after one season, Lehtinen received an offer from one of the biggest clubs in Finland at the time, TPS in Turku. He signed with TPS in the summer of 1993 and once the season started, he soon blossomed offensively. Lehtinen was immediately paired with another future NHLer, Saku Koivu, and the two formed an integral part of TPS's great season. Although they won the regular season title by a large margin, they lost to Jokerit in the finals.
Lehtinen was part of the renowned Finnish top line, dubbed by Finnish fans as the "Ankkalinnan pojat" ("The boys of Duckburg," a reference to their nicknames "Tupu, Hupu, Lupu"; "Huey, Dewey, Louie") with Saku Koivu and Ville Peltonen, another future NHLer. The three also made up the tournament's all-star line.
Lehtinen worked his way up in three years to join Mike Modano on the team's first line and was nominated for the Frank J. Selke Trophy for the first time in 1996–97 season. During 1997–98 season, he was voted to the 1998 NHL All-Star Game. It was the first year the NHL introduced a new system in which European players play against North American players. Lehtinen's fellow countrymen Saku Koivu, Teemu Selänne and Jari Kurri were also voted to the Game. The same year, Lehtinen was again a nominee for the Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward and eventually won the prestigious award. He remains the only Finnish player to have won the award. Lehtinen was also part of the bronze-winning Finnish team at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.
In 1999, the Stars progressed to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they defeated the Buffalo Sabres in six games, winning the Stanley Cup. In the series, Lehtinen scored the first goal in the decisive Game 6, then assisted on Brett Hull's Cup-winning goal in overtime. That year, Lehtinen set career-high statistics and also captured the Selke Trophy, becoming just the third player in NHL history to win the award in consecutive seasons.
AWARDS
Played in SM-liiga All-Star Game – 1995
Raimo Kilpiö Trophy – 1995
Kanada-malja (Turun Palloseura) — 1995
Ice Hockey World Championships Tournament All-Star – 1995
NHL Rookie of the Month – February, 1996
Stars Rookie of the Year – 1996
Voted to the NHL All-Star Game – 1998, 2002 (didn't play due to injury)
Frank J. Selke Trophy – 1998, 1999, 2003
Stanley Cup (Dallas Stars) — 1999
Clarence S. Campbell Bowl – 1999, 2000
Espoo Blues #10 jersey retired – 2014
Dallas Stars #26 jersey retired – 2017
IIHF's Hall of Fame – 2018
PROS:
CONS:
7. Jere Lehtinen - Right Wing - Finland - Kiekko-Espoo (Finland)
Lehtinen started his professional career with his hometown team, Kiekko-Espoo. The team was jammed in first division in 1991 but they managed to win the division and gained a spot in the Finnish SM-liiga, from there Lehtinen started his professional career. He spent another year with Kiekko-Espoo, but the team struggled, and after one season, Lehtinen received an offer from one of the biggest clubs in Finland at the time, TPS in Turku. He signed with TPS in the summer of 1993 and once the season started, he soon blossomed offensively. Lehtinen was immediately paired with another future NHLer, Saku Koivu, and the two formed an integral part of TPS's great season. Although they won the regular season title by a large margin, they lost to Jokerit in the finals.
Lehtinen was part of the renowned Finnish top line, dubbed by Finnish fans as the "Ankkalinnan pojat" ("The boys of Duckburg," a reference to their nicknames "Tupu, Hupu, Lupu"; "Huey, Dewey, Louie") with Saku Koivu and Ville Peltonen, another future NHLer. The three also made up the tournament's all-star line.
Lehtinen worked his way up in three years to join Mike Modano on the team's first line and was nominated for the Frank J. Selke Trophy for the first time in 1996–97 season. During 1997–98 season, he was voted to the 1998 NHL All-Star Game. It was the first year the NHL introduced a new system in which European players play against North American players. Lehtinen's fellow countrymen Saku Koivu, Teemu Selänne and Jari Kurri were also voted to the Game. The same year, Lehtinen was again a nominee for the Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward and eventually won the prestigious award. He remains the only Finnish player to have won the award. Lehtinen was also part of the bronze-winning Finnish team at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.
In 1999, the Stars progressed to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they defeated the Buffalo Sabres in six games, winning the Stanley Cup. In the series, Lehtinen scored the first goal in the decisive Game 6, then assisted on Brett Hull's Cup-winning goal in overtime. That year, Lehtinen set career-high statistics and also captured the Selke Trophy, becoming just the third player in NHL history to win the award in consecutive seasons.
AWARDS
Played in SM-liiga All-Star Game – 1995
Raimo Kilpiö Trophy – 1995
Kanada-malja (Turun Palloseura) — 1995
Ice Hockey World Championships Tournament All-Star – 1995
NHL Rookie of the Month – February, 1996
Stars Rookie of the Year – 1996
Voted to the NHL All-Star Game – 1998, 2002 (didn't play due to injury)
Frank J. Selke Trophy – 1998, 1999, 2003
Stanley Cup (Dallas Stars) — 1999
Clarence S. Campbell Bowl – 1999, 2000
Espoo Blues #10 jersey retired – 2014
Dallas Stars #26 jersey retired – 2017
IIHF's Hall of Fame – 2018
PROS:
CONS: