Kari Lehtonen
Kari Lehtonen (born November 16, 1983) is a Finnish ice hockey goaltender. He currently plays for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Kari Lehtonen | |||
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![]() Lehtonen in October 2014. | |||
Born |
Helsinki, Finland | November 16, 1983||
Height | 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) | ||
Weight | 210 lb (95 kg; 15 st 0 lb) | ||
Position | Goaltender | ||
Catches | Left | ||
NHL team Former teams |
Dallas Stars Jokerit Atlanta Thrashers | ||
National team |
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NHL Draft |
2nd overall, 2002 Atlanta Thrashers | ||
Playing career | 1999–present | ||
Career
changeBefore playing in the NHL, Lehtonen played 72 games in the SM-liiga with Jokerit. During his time there, he was able to win the Urpo Ylönen trophy, which is given to the best goalie of the season, as well as the Jari Kurri trophy, the league's playoff MVP award.
He was drafted with the 2nd overall pick by the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. This made him the highest drafted European goaltender and highest Finnish player ever in NHL history.[1] Lehtonen played 4 seasons with the Thrashers before he was traded to the Dallas Stars in exchange for Ivan Vishnevskiy and a 4th round draft pick (Ivan Telegin) on February 9, 2010.[2]
References
change- ↑ "Across the pond, into the pool". Impact! NHL.com's Online Magazine. Retrieved 2014-03-21.
- ↑ "Stars give Kari Lehtonen new deal". ESPN. 14 September 2012. Retrieved 2014-03-21.
Other websites
change- Kari Lehtonen player profile at NHL.com
- Kari Lehtonen career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database