Kari Lehtonen: biography and achievements of the hockey player

Kari Lehtonen - goalkeeper of the NHL hockey club "Dallas Stars" and the national team of Finland. The nickname Kari - "Gornostai." The debut in the National Hockey League took place in the 2003/04 season.

Kari Lehtonen. Biography and awards of the Finnish hockey player

Born Kari in 1983 in the capital of Finland, Helsinki. From 2001 to 2003, he defended the colors of the Moscow hockey club called "Jokerite". There were no special victories for Lehtonen during this period, but twice he managed to become the best goalkeeper of the SM-League, and in 2002 he became the most valuable player in the playoff round of the CM-League.

The biggest achievement of Kari in the "Jokers" can be considered draft National Hockey League. It was during his stay in Yokerite that hockey player Kari Lehtonen announced his candidacy for the National Hockey League draft lottery in 2002 and was selected in the first round by Atlanta Thrashers under the second peak, losing first place to attacking Riku Nash, who chose the first number " Columbus Blue Jackets.

"Jokerite" and the Chicago "Wolves"

In his debut season, Lehtonen played only four games for the "jokers." Three fights his team won and one lost. The percentage of deflected washers was 93.7%, and on average for the game he missed 1.9 goals.

Already in the second season, Kari spent 23 matches for "Jokerite". On average, the goalkeeper missed 1.79 goals for the duel, and the percentage of parried strikes increased in comparison with the previous season and amounted to 94, 1%. Also in that season, "Jokerite" went into the playoffs, where Lehtonen took part in 11 bouts, finishing three of them without conceding goals.

During the third and final season Kari Lehtonen played 45 games, made 1121 save and missed 87 goals. 5 of 45 fights the goalkeeper could finish "dry". The percentage of retired attacks is 92.8%. As a result of the regular season, the "Jokers" again could get into the round of the playoffs. In the games for the departure Kari Lehtonen and the company played 10 matches, 6 of which ended in victories. Kari made 2 "shut-outs", and on average for the game passes 1.63 washers.

After the draft Lehtonen went to the American Hockey League for the club "Chicago Wolves". In the team in the first season, Kari spent 39 games in the regular season and 10 in the playoffs. In total, the goalkeeper made 4 "shut-outs". The next season the Finn also spent in the AHL in the "Wolves" roster. This time he managed to take part in 57 games of the regular season (5 "shut-outs") and in the 16th round of the play-off round (1 shutout). Beginning with the 2005/06 season, Lehtonen became Atlanta's main player, but for 6 years in the Thrashers, Kari played 6 fights for the Chicago Wolves.

Atlanta Thrashers and Dallas Straz

The debut game of Lehtonen for "Atlanta" took place in the 2003/04 season. At that time, the Finn played for the Atlanta pharma club in the American Hockey League, but was called up for several matches in the main team.

The first season, which Kari Lehtonen held as the main goalkeeper of "Atlanta", was the regular championship 2005/06. According to the results of the "regular season", the Thrashers could not qualify for the Stanley Cup playoff round. At the beginning of the season the goalkeeper injured the groin, and missed more than 30 team games. At the end of the season, he received another injury. It was such a long absence of the main goalkeeper, "Atlanta" did not allow her to go to the playoffs.

The next season has become one of the best in the career of the goalkeeper. At the start of the regular season, Lehtonen did not miss his goals for almost 168 minutes. This allowed the Finn to set a club record. At the end of the season, "Atlanta" was in the playoffs. Kari played two games and conceded 11 goals in them.

From 2007 to 2010 the team of Lehtonen has never been able to qualify for the round of the playoffs. During this time, the average percentage of shots thrown back was 91.5-92%. At the end of the season, Kari was traded to the Dallas Stars. Until the end of the championship, he took part in 12 games for the Texas Hockey Club. In the playoffs, "Stars" did not hit.

Since 2010, "Dallas" only twice went to the playoffs, but never reached even the final of the conference. The last time it happened last season. The "Stars" went through the first rand of games, but lost in the semifinals of the conference. This season, Lehtonen spent 59 matches, 3 of which finished at zero. "Dallas" again could not get into the top-8 on the basis of the regular season.

National team and international awards

In 2000, the Finnish national team under the age of 18, which included Kari Lehtonen, became the world champion. After one year Lehtonen again took part in the World Championship among players under 18 years of age. This time the Finns became the second. Lehtonen took part in three junior World Championships from 2001 to 2003, where he won silver and two bronze medals.

For the main team of Finland Kari was also able to obtain several medals in big tournaments. In 2004, the Finns became the second in the World Cup, and three years later - at the World Championships in Russia. At the Olympic Games in 2014 in Sochi, the Finnish team took the third place.