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From: Rilleperstorp
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  • hieno mies

  • LONG LIVE THE JARI KURRI...

    No... THANK YOU!

  • I love this vid so much! Here's something for the "Kurri Deniers" to chew on: In every season in which the Oilers won the first 4 Stanley Cups ('84, '85, '87 & '88), Kurri was #1 in the NHL in playoff goals scored. Then, in 1990, WITHOUT GRETZKY, he set up the overtime winner in game #1 of the Finals, then scored 3 goals and 2 assists in game #2. At the moment he left Edmonton in spring 1990, HE WAS #1 ALL-TIME in NHL playoff goals.

    And that's not "woulda", "coulda", "shoulda"... that's DID.

  • what's the music?

  • You can't say what a player would or wouldn't have done in different circumstances; that is a meaningless discussion because any conclusions are baseless. What we can talk about is what DID happen, and Jari wasn't only playing with Gretzky, he was playing with other lines too, and produced regularly.

  • @Wodey25 You are 100% CORRECT! The "if this" and "if that"

    business is baloney. Kurri WAS a great player! His 600+ goals

    DID happen! His name is on the Cup five (or maybe six) times.

    He's in the Hall-of-Fame. This is UNDENIABLE!

  • lol it's been like more than a year since I read these comments for the first time and tjcurrie is still here everyday trolling(I hope) how everyone were better than kurri

    I give credit for your endurance, you must really hate the guy. Is this the only vid you are trolling or are you trashing every euro guy? Even don cherry has more objective views on the subject than you do. And that's bad.

  • Sallki1 is a beatch

  • @Finland1965

    Mr 45 years old, maybe it would be time to grow up...

  • It's also worth mentioning Kurri still played two tremendous seasons with the oilers after Gretzky was gone, putting similar numbers that he did with wayne. Or is playing with messier also cheating lol? In fact he outscored the whole team in 88-89, including Messier who is arguably the better player let's admit it. So I'd say it's stupid to try to take something off from kurri by saying he played with the best. The fact is he was an important factor in making oilers the best team of the 80's.

  • @tetsuokun Im not saying he wasnt important, and Im not saying he still wasnt a very good player. But "very good" isnt "great". He had the one 100 pt season after Gretzky left. Off the top of my head is was 102 points ? Very good for sure. But given the era, and given that he was reaching heights of 120-130 points and 60-70 goals with Wayne, rather than the 44 goals he peaked at after Wayne, that 102 points isnt all that special.He would have peaked at that. Not 130.

  • @tetsuokun Thhose 120-130 point seasons would have been 80-100 point seasons and his 50-70 goal seasons would have been 30- 45 or so instead. You could probably take 150 or so points off his totals. Some were saying "without Kurri there would be nno Gretzky". Thats pretty bogus. Wayne would have reached his heights with numerous wingers at that time. Im just saying Kurri gets too much credit. Yes he was good all round. But without Wayne he's probably 40th or so on the all-time points list.

  • @tjcurrie Without Kurri there would be no Gretzky. And you know this to be true, so why lie to yourself? Just shows you know nothing.

  • @norsende You cant be serious. Gretzky tied Dionne for the lead league his 1st NHL season and did it without Kurri. Before joined with kurri, he won 2 Harts and an Art Ross, he had 3 more Art Ross Trophies and a Hart in L.A., he was the catalyst by far and there were numerous other wingers you could have paired with him. How many other centers could have replaced him for Kurri ? When your linemate is outscoring you by 70-80 points what the hell does that say ? Obviously you dont know much.

  • @tjcurrie

    Agreed. Kurri is an icon for Finnish hockey but Gretzky played at the same level no matter who was beside him.

  • @Salkki1 Absolutely correct. Kurri was a very good player and Im not saying he would have went from 120-130 points to 40 points. But we likely would have seen his career go 85, 95, 90, 90, 100, 90, 85, 85,95,100, 95, etc. Not 90,100,120, 130, 130, 120,110, etc. Paul Coffey was more of a factor than Kurri. The way he brought the puck out of the zone and could jump into the play, he was more irreplaceable. Kurri was a real good winger who had great numbers.Lots of real good wingers back then.

  • @Salkki1 In the heyday of the Oilers, Glen Sather was

    asked to describe the perfect left-winger. "He'd be fast

    and smart. He'd be big. He'd have a great shot, be able

    to pass, willing to play defence, and score the big goals

    in the big games. In other words, he'd do what Kurri does

    on the right side". Well said, Coach!

  • @tetsuokun Can you imagine if Rob Brown would have played another 6 or 7 seasons with Mario Lemieux ? The guy would have had another 300 or so points to his totals and all of a sudden he would be talked about as such a wicked player. When in fact he was just decent. Of course Kurri was better than him but thats a good example.

  • @tjcurrie

    Yeah Rob Brown is a very interesting case. Who knows what numbers he'd have had he played more with mario. But I tried to make a point that unlike Rob Brown, Kurri still produced when he played without his "master". I know you weren't implying Rob Brown was better than Kurri - but it's still a bad comparison for the reason stated. Kurri's points in Edmonton 88-90 were practically just as good as they were past couple seasons with Gretzky.

  • @tetsuokun Ya in no way am I comparing the two players. Im just using it as an example of a player who had more points because of his centerman. You can also look at Bernie Nicholls.The year before Wayne got to L.A. he had like 34 goals and 78 points.When Wayne got there he had 70 goals and 150 points. A real good player.But the numbers are an abberation while with Wayne. Kurri put up a couple good seasons without him,but that would have been his ceiling. Not the 120-130 pts and 50-70 goals.

    

  • @tetsuokun Even Dave Lumley went on abit of a tear playing with Gretzky. I think it was 81 or 82 he went on a 12 game scoring streak popping 15 goals. Again, Kurri is better than the player Im using as an example, but it shows what Gretzky did for people. Its hard to say a number but without a doubt Gretzky did the same for Kurri.A small window of astroaumical numbers is what separated Kurri from the rest of the pack. Without Wayne, those numbers dont happen and he's brought down to earth.

  • Kurri, tapa Hurri!!!

  • Edmonton got # 3 # 7 # 9 # 11 # 17 # 31 and # 99 in Edmonton. I hope they put # 4 up in the rafters someday. Taylor Hall can't wear #4.

  • @marshallsimon Why dont they retire #16 for The Human Punchingbag Kelly Buchberger while theyre at it. Lowe was a serviceable Dman but I think thats going a little far. You gotta draw the line or youre gonna be retiring numbers left and right.

  • Kurri won stanley cup once without Gretzky but Gretzky never won without Kurri. That tells something.

  • @TheJuhox That tells nothing. Thats a ridiculous statement. Lowe won 2 more Cups aswell. So is he better than Gretzky ? Get real. Gretzky went to a bad team and made them good. Kurri doesnt do that. Kurri hd to be part of something great to win. He wasnt great himself. If you think him winning another Cup and Gretzky not winning a Cup means anything then you're crazy. Do you know where Kurri would be without Gretzky ? Probably about 20 more spots down the all-time scoring list.

  • @tjcurrie That is actually bs. Without Kurri there wasn't Gretzky, this is old news, but now you know.

  • @kanervatie Well seems to me Gretzky had already made a name for himself before he and Kurri were paired up. And did pretty good for himself after he left edmonton aswell. Kurri, well the same cant be said for him. Without a doubt Kurri "helped" in the sense that he and Gretzky had chemistry. Chemistry "helps" anyone. But as far as Kurri being that good where he made Gretzky a better player, please. When youre being outscored by your linemate by 80 points, what does that tell you?

  • @tjcurrie

    I think you are overreacting. I don't think anyone here is (except you) comparing Kurri's talent to Gretzky. You can't really compare anyone to Gretz. I dare say there was no winger in the NHL at that time who would've not been outscored by gretz in his line by a mile. Someone would have propably scored more than Kurri, but the line would not have been the same. Kurri was very important part of that line, and a succesful playoff team needs forwards like kurri who can play 2-way game.

  • Happy 50th birthday :)

  • Jagr has more goals than Selanne or Kurri. But he's stayed healthier for a lot longer than Selanne... And Kurri is a 2-way forward.

  • Back in the heyday of the Oilers, Assistant

    Coach Barry Fraser said, "We've got some

    great players here. All-stars, eh? Future

    Hall-of-Famers, right? But Kurri is BY FAR

    our most complete player". Yes, Mark

    Messier was a better player than Kurri,

    and, of course, Gretzky. But Jari Kurri is at

    least in the Top 25 of those who have ever

    played. True, Gretzky helped Kurri a lot.

    But Kurri also helped Gretzky a lot!

  • @avaxtakaka perhaps u forget there would be no Gretzky without Kurri or visa versa.

    But they were awsome.

  • @lintu25 I agree completely! And I'm sure that both

    Wayne and Jarri would also agree!

  • Selänne pelaa rightilla myös.. :/

  • Jari Kurri.... Wayne Gretzky... Jerome Iginla.... Miikka Kiprusoff... Teemu Selänne... Mario Lemieux... Patrick Roy.... Jere Lehtinen = one of the best ever in my oppinion

  • One of the best pure goal scorers to lace 'em up. This guy was a gem!!

  • TEEMU TEEMU!

  • Kurri is the best Fin to ever play in my opinion

  • jari kurri is best

  • and these kids has ruined conversation.go for some other site to whine.

  • Kurri had speed and he was blessed with the most talented Squad in the 1980's Him and Gretzky were the Diamanic duo. Anderson and Messeir too.

  • one of the most underrated players in NHL history. 600 goals, 71 and 68 goal seasons and he was very good defensively.

  • Jari Kurri is in my opinion the greatest hockey player of all time, great defensivly, scored lots of points and won FIVE stanley cups!

  • you are absolutely right... NOT!!!

    Come on!!! he has never been MVP :S

  • winning MVP is hard when you are playing alongside gretz

  • @tetsuokun

    He wouldnt have won it anyways. He was probably the 5th best player on edmonton. Gretzky, Messier, Coffey, Anderson, then Kurri. He's lucky he was playing alongside Gretzky or he wouldnt have had no 70 goals and 130 points.

  • Such ignorance. I dont know why I bother because you are either trolling or just ignorant. But here's few things you should know: 1) Kurri was oilers' best scorer even after Gretz left. 2) Saying Glenn Anderson is better than kurri is just silly 3) comparing to defenseman is also silly 4) Messier... well I think that's fair, but Kurri did score more points than he did.

  • @tetsuokun

    I compared him to Coffey based on importance to the team. So ya, I can compare. Whos a better player for Detroit ? Cleary or Lidstrom ? There ya go. Point proven. Yes Anderson was better than Kurri. He was money. Balls out. Without playing with Gretzky. Lets put Kurri on the 2nd line and Messier back up with Gretzky, who do you think outscores who ? Messier was far more valuable.There were other wingers in the league who could have easily replaced Kurri.

  • ye but was mario lemiux, gordie howe, wayne gretzky or maurice richard ever good defensly, scoring that many points and goals and at the same time being great defensivly is fukking great jackass!

  • look at the +/- stats

  • do you even know who bobby orr is'?

  • yes thats true but he is in top 5 and even im from finland and he is 1 of my favourite playes i can say that.Or maybe he is even in top 3

  • ok your just strange

  • Jari Kurri is one of the legend's. Maybe the best European ice hockey player at all-time. 7season have made over 40 or more goals.

  • Well, he did. After Gretzky left he was the best player for oilers. Other great names played with gretz later in his career, no one ever came close to kurri.

  • gretzky probably wouldnt have done anything without kurri

  • @kankainen

    Ha ha. Ya right. He was doin it before Kurri and he did it after Kurri. Kurri on the other hand, check his stats without Gretzky. A shadow of what they were with.

  • @kankainen i think its the other way around

  • @a2thegoodwin Kurri has one stanley cup more than Wayne

  • @kankainen lulz, riiight.

  • @FevrGuy You know it's true.

  • @norsende Gretzky had plenty other talent on Edmonton, plus he proved he can play on his own in in St.Louis and New York.

  • @kankainen kuri probably wouldnt have done anything without gretzky

  • @kankainen HAHAHAHAHA

    I don't know what you're smoking but it's pretty powerful shit.

  • @kankainen I won't go as far as to say that, but Kurri

    was a HUGE help for Gretzky (and Wayne will be the

    first to admit it).

  • One of the best european players ever in NHL, that's a fact!! if not the best..

  • Jari Kurri is Finland icehockey legend!

  • Jari Kurri is so awesome. Jari Kurri and Esa Tikkanen are my favorite all time players.

  • Only Jagr has more points from european players... but Kurri is way better two-way player. Propably the best ever european player in NHL.

  • well jagr was and if he returns still is amazing but its a crime jari never won the selke

  • @tetsuokun

    Jagr doesnt have to be a 2 way player to be better. Jagr was a franchise player. Kurri wasnt. Jere Lehtinen, who I love, is a great 2 way player. But that doesnt make him better than Ovechkin. As far as being the best Euro ever, no. Peter Stastny was better, Nick Lidstrom, Teemu Selanne, Sergei Fedorov, Pavel Bure, Peter Forsberg,Mats Sundin, Alex Ovechkin already, Jaromir Jagr. And if you wanna count goalies, which I dont like to compare, Dominek Hasek.

  • Obviously you rate players only by how much they have scored points, and you seem to have something serious against Kurri. No he wasn't the best player ever, not even top 10. Yes he was lucky to play with wayne. But my point is that because Kurri scored so many points, people often forgot he was a defensive player. Someone like Jagr would have propably scored more with gretz than kurri did (who knows?) but the line wouldn't work the same without Kurri defensive efforts. One of the best lines evr

  • @tetsuokun

    Ignorance ? Sure buddy. Just because I dont agree with you ? Well you dont agree with me so I guess youre ignorant too right ? Thats fine Kurri was a 2way player. Like I said, so is Jere Lehtinen. It doesnt automatically make you better than more of a one way player. If you seriously think Kurri was better than Peter Stastny you sir are sadly mistaken.

  • @tjcurrie

    Hell, even 'The Hockey News' famous top 100 players list ranks Kurri above Statsny. And also there is no Glenn Anderson on that list, as he doesn't belong there obviously, that would be just dumb. Of course it's just a list, but it's been put up by experts who propably follow hockey way more than you do (or I). True, it also ranks Jagr better than Kurri. I'm not qualified to make judgement which is better, just saying Kurri doesnt get enough credit. As your comments show for example.

  • @tetsuokun If you mean that list they made in '98, Yzerman isnt in the top 50. So that list is void.And take into account they look at Cups.Kurri has 5.Stastny has 0.That doesnt make Kurri better.Anderson scored more on his own merit rather than having Wayne help him.But theyre close so its debatable.Kurri was better 2way than Jagr but like I said,that doesnt necessarily make a player "better".Be honest. At some point,even the biggest Kurri fan has to conceed that Wayne made him so much better.

  • @tetsuokun Stastny was more of a guy you start your team with.He was more of a catalyst than Kurri.Jacques Richard had 103 pts and 52 goals playing with Stastny when Stastny was a rookie.He only had 244 pts in 478 games besides that 1 season.Coincedence? If Stastny had a began his career at 19 and had a full career, he would more than likely be in the top 5 scorers of all time.

  • @tjcurrie

    Point taken; not gonna bother feeding the troll anymore.

  • @tetsuokun

    Troll. Ha ha. Geez. Cant have a simple discussion without being labeled a troll I guess. No prob. Aslong as my point was taken then. Cheers.

  • @tetsuokun I have the issue of The Hockey News that ranks

    Jagr ahead of Kurri. But in the section about Kurri, it calls him

    "the best European player ever". I agree! Jagr was a very tal-

    ented player, but Kurri was the complete package.

  • @tetsuokun Wrong. Stan Mikita has more points than Kurri who is 3rd.

  • @HeavyD2544

    True enough. Though it can be argued whether Mikita is european or canadian. Kurri had however more goals atleast.

  • @tetsuokun It can't be argued. He was born in Slovakia. His actual name is Slovakian and a pain in the ass to spell, so I'm not looking it up. Yes, Kurri did have more goals.

  • @HeavyD2544

    He played for canada, despite his origins. That makes him canadian.

  • @tetsuokun It makes him part Canadian.

  • @tetsuokun As of this writing, yes, I would agree that

    Kurri is the best European player ever. Eventually, I'd

    think that Alex Ovechkin will wear that crown, but for

    now, that honour goes to Kurri. Jagr was a one-way

    player only.

  • Kurri was the best player Finland ever made i grew up watching him play and all i can say is he was awesome even wayne himself said he was his best friend and as a player he was second to nobody thank you Kurri

  • @drizztdrowelf

    I would take Teemu Selanne over Kurri. Teemu has scored as much as Kurri without Gretzky. And Gretzky said that the best player he ever played with was Messier.

  • what a legend

  • brings a fucking tear to my eye every time i see this. what an athlete, what a gentleman.

  • Kurri is Finland the best hockey player ever

  • Respect to one of the legend of NHL.

  • Simply the best!

  • A great man! A great player! The Oilers love him! Canada loves him! Finland loves him! A great NHL legend.

  • long live jari kurri! the greatest player ever!

  • ONE lady byng trophy.

    For all those seasons.

    Even Wayne said "Jari should have wom for at leat ten seasons." Don't mark me on that, just a thing to say. He was pretty damn good either way. He was a master, a f*** master anyway...

  • Jari Jari Jari Jari

  • A true legend, one of the best players ever played the game, the best european with Jagr, hats off 4 this guy

  • Jari Pekka Kurri, #1 Finnish hockey player of all time.

  • #1 European hockey player of all time.

    atleast.

  • @setakakki

    No. Not even close. Peter Stastny was better for sure. He was the 2nd highest scorer throughout the 80s behind Gretzky. Sergei Fedorov, Peter Forsberg, Mats Sundin, Nick Lidstrom, Teemu Selanne, Alex Ovechkin, and Pavel Bure are all better too. Not to mention if you wanna go old scholl and count Valeri Kharlamov.

  • Has to be the most under-rated hockey player of all time....It takes two to tango, and even without Gretzky...an absolutely incredible player.. And in a class with Mika Hakkanen and Kimi Raiokkanen as Finnish athletes....

  • Joke in finland? wtf ur comment is a big joke. Häkkinen was good but so is Räikkönen and will be even better.

  • @rcdd3261

    Underrated ? He's put ahead of guys like Michel Goulet, Dino Ciccarelli, Mike Gartner, etc, when those guys are every bit as good. Atleast. Yet because they didnt have the fortune of playing with Gretzky on that dynasty, theyre overlooked. And Kurri gets so much recognition. Very good player, but not as great as some of you want to believe. Dave Lumley went on a 12 game goal streak poppin 15 in that span with Gretzky. Even Sather said a firehydrant could pop 40 playing with Gretzky.

  • The Greatest European Ever! I almost cried when I saw this first time

  • Wow...this is the first time I ever saw this...and heard him speak. LOL I was basically addicted to hockey in the 80s and 90s...and Jari was my very favorite player. Thanks for posting this. :)

  • Greatest Finnish and European player ever.Remember Nagano Olympics. He showed that he still has what it takes.Playing in Gretzkys shadow=he is part of Gretzkys success.

  • forsberg sucks big time

  • Great tribute for an overshadowded and underated hockey player, Best european player of all time in my opinion.

  • I was at this game, feels like a long time ago. It was awesome how he came out in his gear, and getting that one last pass from Gretz.

  • the greatest european player ever! thats for shore.

  • most underrated player

  • Made In Finland!

  • what a person, my idol best european NHL player and dynamic duo with gretzky good mates. Finlan has now no superstar players

  • teemu selänne.

  • Teemu Selänne is the only one that is currently a treath to Kurri's goal record. And he will 75% surely go over it. Olli Jokinen is an excellent player, Kiprusoff, Lehtinen, Ruutu ext

  • No, you forgot lot of great Finnish NHL players. :)

  • Comment removed

  • Argh, Ville Leino can be 40goal scorer, Valtteri Filppula etc.

    And young guys like

    Pulkkinen

    Granlund

    and

    Donskoi

  • granlund will be as good as koivu!

  • Better, no sence.

    He is dominating SM-liiga already.

  • Well hes too young to know yet, BTW do you speak finnish?

  • Joo puhun, Granlund dominoi sm-liigaa jo nyt, mitä ei olla tehty sitten olli jokisen.

  • niin on, toivottavasti tulee monta mahtavaa suomalaista pelaajaa vielä voittaa mm-kisat ja kaikki!

  • anybody know what this song is called?

  • composed by Trevor Rabin for the "Remember the Titans" score. This track is entitled "Titans Spirit" and is easily one of the best "victory" pieces written.

  • One of the great players of his time and perhaps all time. For him to be compared with other hockey legends is an added bonus. Who cares whether he was number 1 or number 30. All those 30 guys were great.

  • Kurri är KUNG

  • Jari is great guy :)

  • great player and one of my idols as a player

  • Only in finland

  • A legend the best player on NHL nobody even comes as close to him on today.

  • mr majestic, kind of sums up such a great player. such a talented, unasuming player that played as well defence as offence. nobody in the league today comes close.

  • best player of all time

  • man He's so Cool

    scores 50-70 goals, 110-130 points, and plays such great Defense too

    best 2-way forward I Seen and so Underrated

  • Kurri, you were always my favorite player... and I'll fondly remember your years here in Edmonton and what you have given to us. Thank you!

  • Ja Kurri On Suomalainen Saatana!

  • Kurri from Jokerit Hc Finland <3

  • Thank you Mr. Kurri. You were the best wing manGretzky ever had...the best duo in NHL history. Edmonton will always love you.

  • yeah i agree

  • My playing number is 17 too.

  • Gretzky and Kurri could beat Jagr anytime and anywhere(with ice).

  • and off the ice ;)

  • But one thing what is good for Jagr is Kurris and Gretzkys age.

  • Hell yeah! Kurri was awsome player. Best hockey player from europe <3

  • kurri on paras

  • Kiitos Jarille, itse alotin lätkän kun Jari pelasi Edmontonissa. Halusin heti numero #17 ja sain sen! Pisteitä ei tullut yhtä paljon kuin Jarilla, mutta aina kun olin jäällä oli Jari ja Gretzky mielessä:) Legendaarinen oli koko Edmonton Oilers ja niistä ajoista on mahtavaakin mahtavemmat muistot..

  • What a great player, severely underated.