Jere Lehtinen
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Jere Kalervo Lehtinen (born June 24, 1973) is a Finnish former professional
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
forward. A right winger, he was drafted in the third round, 88th overall, in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft by the
Minnesota North Stars The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, Minnesota, and the team's colors for ...
. Lehtinen played his entire 15-year
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
(NHL) career with the organization after the franchise moved to
Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
in 1993. A two-way forward, Lehtinen is perhaps best known for his defensive responsibilities, for which he won the Frank J. Selke Trophy three times as the NHL's top defensive forward. After his retirement, he has served as the general manager of the Finnish national ice hockey team. He was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2018.


Playing career


Finland

Lehtinen played in the 1987
Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament The Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament () is an annual minor ice hockey event in Quebec City. The tournament was founded in 1960 to coincide with the Quebec Winter Carnival, and give an opportunity for international competition to p ...
with a youth team from
Espoo Espoo (, ; ) is a city in Finland. It is located to the west of the capital, Helsinki, in southern Uusimaa. The population is approximately . It is the most populous Municipalities of Finland, municipality in Finland. Espoo is part of the Helsi ...
. Lehtinen started his professional career with his hometown team,
Kiekko-Espoo Kiekko-Espoo is a Finnish professional ice hockey club founded in 2018 as a continuation of the Kiekko-Espoo team originally founded in 1984. Kiekko-Espoo men's team plays in the Liiga, where they were promoted for the 2024–25 Liiga season, 20 ...
. 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 Turku ( ; ; , ) is a city in Finland and the regional capital of Southwest Finland. It is located on the southwestern coast of the country at the mouth of the Aura River (Finland), River Aura. The population of Turku is approximately , while t ...
. 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 Helsingin Jokerit (, English: Joker (playing card), Jokers or Jesters of Helsinki) is a professional ice hockey team based in Helsinki, Finland, which competes in Mestis. Jokerit plays its home games at the Helsinki Ice Hall and Helsinki Halli in ...
in the finals. The following season, TPS and Lehtinen went all the way again, this time defeating Jokerit in the final series, 3–2. After the SM-liiga season was over, Lehtinen received an invite to the 1995 World Championships.
Finland Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...
progressed to the final, defeating
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
4–1, winning Finland's first IIHF World Championship gold medal. 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.


Dallas Stars


1995–2003

After an impressive year in 1995, where Lehtinen won both the SM-liiga and World Championship, he went overseas to play in the NHL. He saw only one game in the minors and was part of the
Dallas Stars The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. The Stars compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The Stars ...
organization instantly. 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 is the first Finnish player to have won the award. Lehtinen was also part of the bronze-winning Finnish team at the
1998 Winter Olympics The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially known as the and commonly known as Nagano 1998 (), were a winter multi-sport event held from 7 to 22 February 1998, mainly in Nagano, Nagano, Nagano, Nagano Prefecture, Japan, with some events ...
in Nagano,
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. In 1999, the Stars progressed to the
Stanley Cup Finals The Stanley Cup Finals in ice hockey (also known as the Stanley Cup Final among various media, ) is the annual championship series of the National Hockey League (NHL). The winner is awarded the Stanley Cup, North America's oldest professional spo ...
, where they defeated the
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in six games, winning the
Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup () is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, and the International Ic ...
. In the series, Lehtinen scored the first goal in the decisive Game 6, then assisted on
Brett Hull Brett Andrew Hull (born August 9, 1964) is a Canadians, Canadian–Americans, American former ice hockey player and general manager, and currently an executive vice president of the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played f ...
'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. Despite the highs of the previous season, the 1999–2000 campaign was a tough one for Lehtinen. He played in only 17 regular season games due to ankle problems, fracturing it early in the season and sidelining for 30 games. After he had seemingly recovered from the injury, he returned to the lineup, but was again sidelined after playing just eight games, forcing him out of Dallas' lineup for an additional 35 games. However, he returned to help his team in the 2000 playoffs, where the Stars again progressed to the
Finals Final, Finals or The Final may refer to: *Final examination or finals, a test given at the end of a course of study or training *Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which d ...
, but were defeated by the
New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The club w ...
in six games. Lehtinen bounced back to his old form in 2000–01 season, putting up a strong season statistics-wise. Although they again made the playoffs, the Stars, however, did not progress go as deep as they had in previous years and were dispatched in the second round by the St. Louis Blues in a four-game sweep. In 2001–02, Lehtinen had a stellar season. Although the Stars failed to qualify for the 2002 playoffs, Lehtinen managed to score 25 goals, 24 assists and finished first on the team in plus-minus with +27. He was again voted to the
NHL All-Star Game The National Hockey League All-Star Game () is an exhibition ice hockey tournament that is traditionally held during the regular season of the National Hockey League (NHL), with many of the League's star players playing against each other. The ga ...
, but was unable to play due to injury. He ranked seventh in
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, formerly known as the Lady Byng Trophy, is presented each year to the National Hockey League "player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard ...
voting and was again nominated for the Selke Trophy, though he came in short; Michael Peca was honored with the award for second time in his career. After an impressive 2001–02, Lehtinen continued his fine form in 2002–03. He led the Stars in goals with 31, a new career high, as well as in plus-minus (+39), which ranked fourth in the NHL. He also recorded his second career NHL
hat-trick A hat-trick or hat trick is the achievement of a generally positive feat three times in a match, or another achievement based on the number three. Origin The term first appeared in 1858 in cricket, to describe H. H. Stephenson taking three Wick ...
, coming against the
Los Angeles Kings The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The Kings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. ...
. Moreover, Lehtinen became only the third player in League history to win the Selke Trophy three times, tying Guy Carbonneau for three and just one behind
Bob Gainey Robert Michael Gainey (born December 13, 1953) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played for the Montreal Canadiens from 1973 until 1989. After retiring from active play, he became a hockey coach and later an executive with ...
, who has won it four times.


2003–2010

The 2003–04 season, was a disappointment to Lehtinen, as injury problems to his knee allowed him to play just 58 games, where he scored 26 points. The Stars were knocked out by the
Colorado Avalanche The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. The Avalanche compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Con ...
in the first playoff round. Before the NHL lockout for the 2004–05 season, the
World Cup of Hockey The World Cup of Hockey is an international ice hockey tournament. Inaugurated in 1996 World Cup of Hockey, 1996, it is the successor to the Canada Cup, which was held every three to five years from 1976 Canada Cup, 1976 to 1991 Canada Cup, 1991 ...
was played. Lehtinen once again represented Finland and the Finns met Canada in the final; the latter won the gold with a 3–2 win over Finland. Lehtinen underwent knee surgery during the lockout season. After successful surgery and rehabilitation, he excelled when NHL play resumed for the 2005–06 season, tying a career-high in points (52) and setting a new career-high in goals (33). The Stars won the Pacific Division title, their seventh in past ten seasons. However, Dallas was once again eliminated in the first playoff round, again at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche. Lehtinen was again a nominee for the Selke Trophy, but ultimately finished third in voting. The 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin took place in the middle of the 2005–06 NHL season. Lehtinen was again a vital part of Team Finland's journey to the gold medal game. Like in previous international tournaments, Lehtinen was placed in a line with Saku Koivu and Teemu Selänne. However, Finland lost the final bitterly 3–2 to their nemesis, Team Sweden. Koivu and Selänne were the tournament's joint top scorer; Lehtinen finished tied for seventh. Had Finland won the final, Lehtinen would have become the first Finn to join the Triple Gold Club. In the 2006–07 season, Lehtinen scored 26 goals and led the team in goals for second consecutive season. The Stars, however, failed to progress from the first round of the playoffs for the third season in a row, falling to the
Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. The Canucks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conferenc ...
. Despite the series stretched to seven games, Lehtinen failed to contribute a single point for his team. Lehtinen began the 2007–08 season strongly, posting six goals and 13 assists (19 points) in just 21 games before suffering a sports hernia. He returned on February 1, 2008, in a game against the
Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. Th ...
after a 33-game layoff. He marked his return with an assist on a Jussi Jokinen goal in the game. Lehtinen became one of just six players in Olympic ice hockey history to win four tournament medals when Finland defeated
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5–3 at the 2010 Winter Olympics in
Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...
on February 27, 2010. Lehtinen also is one of only seven ice hockey players who have appeared in at least five Olympic games. On December 8, 2010, Lehtinen officially announced his retirement from professional hockey, finishing with 243 goals and 271 assists and a career plus-minus rating of +176 in 875 NHL games, all with the Stars. Impressively, he never finished a season with a negative plus-minus until his final season in the NHL. On February 11, 2017, the Stars announced that they would retire Lehtinen's No. 26 jersey in the 2017–18 season as part of their 25th anniversary in Dallas; it was retired on November 24, 2017, before the Stars' game against the
Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The ...
.


Personal life

Lehtinen met his wife, Jaana, at the 1994 Olympics in
Lillehammer Lillehammer () is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. Some of the more notable villages in the munici ...
,
Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...
. The two were married in June 1998 and since the ceremony was only a few days after the NHL Awards, Lehtinen was not present to accept the first Frank J. Selke Trophy of his career. The couple has twin girls, Anna and Sofia, and one son, Joel.


Awards

*Played in SM-liiga All-Star Game – 1995 * Raimo Kilpiö Trophy – 1995 * Kanada-malja (Turun Palloseura) —
1995 1995 was designated as: * United Nations Year for Tolerance * World Year of Peoples' Commemoration of the Victims of the Second World War This was the first year that the Internet was entirely privatized, with the United States government ...
*
Ice Hockey World Championships The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual international men's ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), first officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the I ...
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 The Stanley Cup () is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, and the International Ic ...
champion (Dallas Stars) —
1999 1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons. Events January * January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers. * January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...
* Espoo Blues #10 jersey retired – 2014 * Dallas Stars #26 jersey retired – 2017 * IIHF Hall of Fame – 2018


Career statistics


Regular season and playoffs


International


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lehtinen, Jere 1973 births Living people 21st-century Finnish sportsmen Dallas Stars players Espoo Blues players Finnish ice hockey administrators Finnish ice hockey right wingers Finnish ice hockey world championship gold medalists Frank Selke Trophy winners HC TPS players Ice hockey people from Espoo Ice hockey players at the 1994 Winter Olympics Ice hockey players at the 1998 Winter Olympics Ice hockey players at the 2002 Winter Olympics Ice hockey players at the 2006 Winter Olympics Ice hockey players at the 2010 Winter Olympics IIHF Hall of Fame inductees Medalists at the 1998 Winter Olympics Medalists at the 1994 Winter Olympics Medalists at the 2006 Winter Olympics Medalists at the 2010 Winter Olympics Minnesota North Stars draft picks National Hockey League All-Stars Olympic bronze medalists for Finland Olympic ice hockey players for Finland Olympic medalists in ice hockey Olympic silver medalists for Finland Stanley Cup champions