Thanks to back surgery Kari Lehtonen missed most of this past season so I never got to see him live! I did see him at 3 practices but that was about it and I think I was totally robbed! He's an amazing talent and I totally was wrong about him, I thought his was an egotistical jerk wad with no personality. He does have his mean moments but he was kinda nice to me.
I also found something to love about Kari while doing this blog. I'm a huge fan of the fighters and the guys who had the rough style of play, so when I was researchhing Kari for this blog the search engines kept "suggesting" that I search for Kari Lehtonen fighting! I instantly became more smitten with him even though he hasn't really gotten into any fights. Kari ended up getting traded to Dallas Stars after a rehab start with Chicago Wolves, maybe getting into fights would have helped- just saying!! I saw a picture of him for his Stars profile and he looks good!
He's lost weight! It hurts me to see him in his star uniform but where ever he can go and be happy and play then that's fine! I also miss seeing his masks, I'm obessed with goalie masks! Kari is a 6 foot 4 210 pound beast born on November 16, 1983 in Helsinki Finland. He was doing an interview talking about how hard it was to come to America having not lived on his own before and not being able to speak English very well. He's doingg very well with the English thing!He was drafted in 2002 by the Atlanta thrashers in the 1st round (second overall) which made him the highest drafted European goalie ever! Kari better be honored I say th
is, he's very much like Jim Craig. He has this gracefully style but he also has these crazy, manick, attack the puck moments. I love watching him just go for it, the way he moves is so amazing. So it really isn't much of a surprise that he was the highest drafted European goaltender! Kari has some odd numbers because of all of his injuries and surgeries. In the summer between the 2008-2009 season and the 2009-2010 season Kari had 2 surgeries on his back. About to be 27 and already has had so many surgeries on that stupid back but more on that later. Before he ever came over to America he played in the top Finnish professional league, SM-liiga. He played 3 seasons with that le
ague and went to play offs in 2 of those 3 seasons. Lucky me I found a lot of stats on him, some dating back to 1999-2000 (his 1998-1999 stats only have the games played). I did find his 1998-1999 playoffs stats where he played in 4 games (240 minutes) losing 2 winning 2 with no shootouts facing 7 goals against making his goals against average 1.75. In the 1999-2000 season he was playing for the professional finish league's Junior version, it was still the team called the Jokerit. With that team he went to playoffs where he played in 12 games (758 minutes) winning 9, losing 3 with 4 shootouts. He faced 14 goals against making his goals against average 1.11. In that season Kari played in 33 games (1,974 minutes total) resulting in 21 wins, 9 losses, 3 ties and 2 shootouts. In those 33 games, he faced 86 goals against making his goals against average 2.61. In that same season he also played in the WJ18 league over in Finland. With that team he put up some 
decent numbers as well, even though he didn't play in that many games. He played in 6 games (307 minutes) winning 5 and tying 1 with 1 shoot out. He faced 9 goals against making his goals against average 1.76. In the 2000-2001 season he played both in the juniors and U18 leagues but I couldn't find the stats for the U18. In the u18 team they went to playoffs that season where he played in 6 games but I couldn't find any other stats except for games played. He also played for a few other teams that season (all in Finland). In the Juniors he played in 31 games (1,799 minutes) with 20 wins, 9 losses and 1 tie with 3 shoot outs. He faced 71 goals against which brought his goals against average to 2.
37. With juniors he also went to playoffs where he played in 1 game (%4 minutes) losing it with 4 goals against bringing his goals against average to 4.44. With one of the other teams (the regular jokerit team) Kari played in 4 games (189 minutes) winning 3, losing 1 facing only 6 goals against finishing with a goals against average of 1.90. In the WJC league he played in and won 1 game (60 minutes) he faced only 2 goals against making his goals against average 2.00. With the last team he played with that season (WJC18) he played in 4 games (239 minutes) winning 3 losing 1 with no ties and 2 shoot outs. He faced 7 goals against bringing his goals against average to 1.76. In the 2001-2002 season Kari had to split his time between 4 finish team
s. With the 1st team (Jokerit JR) he played in 6 games (360 minutes) with 5 wins 1 loss and 1 shootout. He had 11 goals against with a goals against average of 1.83. With the regular jokerits he played in 23 games (1,242 minutes) with 13 wins, 5 losses, 2 ties and 4 shootouts. He had 37 goals against bringing his goals against average to 1.79. With that team he played 11 play off games (623 minutes) winning The next team was a finish WJC team (which I think is the world Junior championship team). He played in 6 games (360 minutes) with 4 wins 2 losses and 1 shootout. He faced 7 goals against and had a goals against average of 7.17. The next team listed was the finish WC team but no stats are listed (weird I know!). In 2002-2003 Kari splits his time again and this time it's between one regular Finnish team and the world Championship team and the junior World team. With the regular Fin team he played in 45 games (2,634minutes) winning 23, losing 14, tying 6 with 5 shootouts. He faced 87 g
oals against bringing the goals against average to 1.98. They went to playoffs that year. Kari played in 10 games (626 minutes) winning 6, losing 4 with 2 shoot outs. He faced 17 goals against bringing his goals against average to 1.63. With the world Junior championship team he played 6 games (357 minutes) winning 3, losing 2, tying 1 with 2 shootouts. He faced 13 goals against bringing his goals against average to 2.19. Of course the stats for the world Championship team are not listed. Finally in the 2003-2004 season Thrasher fans officially welcomed baby Kari into the nest (and the crease) but he only played in 4 games (240 minutes) winning all four with 1 shootout. He faced 5 goals against and 106 shots against bringing his goals against average to 1.25 and his saves percentage to .953. He also played with the Chicag
o wolves in that season as well. With the wolves he played in 39 games (2,192 minutes) with 20 wins, 14 losses, 2 ties and 3 shoot outs. He faced 88 goals against and 1,189 shots against bringing his saves average to .926 and his goals against average to 2.41. The wolves went to playoffs and Kari played 10 games (663 minutes) winning 6 and losing 4 with 1 shootout. He faced 23 goals againsts and 397 shots against. His saves percentage was .942 and his goals against average was 2.08. In 2004-2005 Kari went to the world cup but there's no stats listed for that. He did however play the whole season the wolves up in Chicago. He played in 57 games (3,378 minutes), winning 38 , losing 17 and tying 2 with 5 shootouts. He faced 128 goals against and 1,182 Shots against bring his saves percentage to .929 and his goals against his average to 2.27. They went to playoffs again that season! Kari played in 16 games (983 minutes) winning 10, losing
6 with 2 shootouts. He faced 28 goals against and 457 shots against. His saves percentage was .939 and his goals against average was 1.71. The next 2 seasons he played fully with the thrashers. So in the 2005-2006 season he played in 38 games (2,166 minutes) winning 20, losing 15, with no ties but 5 shootouts. He faced 106 goals against and 1,123 shots against bringing his goals against average to 2.94 and his saves percentage to .906. The 2006-2007 season he played in 68 games (3,934 minutes) winning 34, losing 24 with 9 overtimes and 4 shootouts. He faced 183 goals against and 2,075 shots against bringing his goals against average to 2.79 and his saves percentage to .912. We went to the post season that year. Kari played in 2 games (118 minutes) losing both with no overtimes or shootouts. He faced 11 goals against and 73 shots against bringing his saves percentage to .849 and his goals against average was 5.59. 
He went to the 2006-2007 world championship with Finland where he played in 6 games winning 4, losing 2 with 1 shootout. He faced 12 goals against and 138 shots against which brought his save percentage to .934 and his goals against average to 1.93. There was no stats listed for the playoffs for the championships even though they went. The 2007-2008 season he split his time between the wolves and the thrashers. With the thrashers he played 48 games (2,707 minutes) winning 17, losing 22 with 5 overtimes and 4 over times. He faced 131 goals against and 1,550 shots against bring his saves percentage to .916 and his goals against average to 2.90. With the Wolves he played in 2 ga
mes winning both with no shootouts or over time with 4 goals against and 61 shots against. He had a goals against average of 1.93 and a saves percentage of .934. The wolves went to playoffs that year as well but no stats were listed. In the 2008-2009 season he played with the thrashers where he played in 46 games (2,624 minutes) winning 19 , losing 22 with 3 overtimes. He faced 134 goals against and 1,498 shots against bringing his saves percentage to .911 and his goals against average to 3.06. In 2009-2010 he played a rehab start with the Chicago wolves but stats are not listed, stats are only listed for the Dallas stars. He played in 12 games (663 minutes) winning 6 and losing 4 with no shootouts or overtimes. He faced 31 goals against and 350 shots against bringing his saves percentage to .911 and his goals against to 2.81. So congrats to Kari for the trade and we'll miss you!
I also found something to love about Kari while doing this blog. I'm a huge fan of the fighters and the guys who had the rough style of play, so when I was researchhing Kari for this blog the search engines kept "suggesting" that I search for Kari Lehtonen fighting! I instantly became more smitten with him even though he hasn't really gotten into any fights. Kari ended up getting traded to Dallas Stars after a rehab start with Chicago Wolves, maybe getting into fights would have helped- just saying!! I saw a picture of him for his Stars profile and he looks good!
He's lost weight! It hurts me to see him in his star uniform but where ever he can go and be happy and play then that's fine! I also miss seeing his masks, I'm obessed with goalie masks! Kari is a 6 foot 4 210 pound beast born on November 16, 1983 in Helsinki Finland. He was doing an interview talking about how hard it was to come to America having not lived on his own before and not being able to speak English very well. He's doingg very well with the English thing!He was drafted in 2002 by the Atlanta thrashers in the 1st round (second overall) which made him the highest drafted European goalie ever! Kari better be honored I say th
is, he's very much like Jim Craig. He has this gracefully style but he also has these crazy, manick, attack the puck moments. I love watching him just go for it, the way he moves is so amazing. So it really isn't much of a surprise that he was the highest drafted European goaltender! Kari has some odd numbers because of all of his injuries and surgeries. In the summer between the 2008-2009 season and the 2009-2010 season Kari had 2 surgeries on his back. About to be 27 and already has had so many surgeries on that stupid back but more on that later. Before he ever came over to America he played in the top Finnish professional league, SM-liiga. He played 3 seasons with that le
ague and went to play offs in 2 of those 3 seasons. Lucky me I found a lot of stats on him, some dating back to 1999-2000 (his 1998-1999 stats only have the games played). I did find his 1998-1999 playoffs stats where he played in 4 games (240 minutes) losing 2 winning 2 with no shootouts facing 7 goals against making his goals against average 1.75. In the 1999-2000 season he was playing for the professional finish league's Junior version, it was still the team called the Jokerit. With that team he went to playoffs where he played in 12 games (758 minutes) winning 9, losing 3 with 4 shootouts. He faced 14 goals against making his goals against average 1.11. In that season Kari played in 33 games (1,974 minutes total) resulting in 21 wins, 9 losses, 3 ties and 2 shootouts. In those 33 games, he faced 86 goals against making his goals against average 2.61. In that same season he also played in the WJ18 league over in Finland. With that team he put up some 
decent numbers as well, even though he didn't play in that many games. He played in 6 games (307 minutes) winning 5 and tying 1 with 1 shoot out. He faced 9 goals against making his goals against average 1.76. In the 2000-2001 season he played both in the juniors and U18 leagues but I couldn't find the stats for the U18. In the u18 team they went to playoffs that season where he played in 6 games but I couldn't find any other stats except for games played. He also played for a few other teams that season (all in Finland). In the Juniors he played in 31 games (1,799 minutes) with 20 wins, 9 losses and 1 tie with 3 shoot outs. He faced 71 goals against which brought his goals against average to 2.
37. With juniors he also went to playoffs where he played in 1 game (%4 minutes) losing it with 4 goals against bringing his goals against average to 4.44. With one of the other teams (the regular jokerit team) Kari played in 4 games (189 minutes) winning 3, losing 1 facing only 6 goals against finishing with a goals against average of 1.90. In the WJC league he played in and won 1 game (60 minutes) he faced only 2 goals against making his goals against average 2.00. With the last team he played with that season (WJC18) he played in 4 games (239 minutes) winning 3 losing 1 with no ties and 2 shoot outs. He faced 7 goals against bringing his goals against average to 1.76. In the 2001-2002 season Kari had to split his time between 4 finish team
s. With the 1st team (Jokerit JR) he played in 6 games (360 minutes) with 5 wins 1 loss and 1 shootout. He had 11 goals against with a goals against average of 1.83. With the regular jokerits he played in 23 games (1,242 minutes) with 13 wins, 5 losses, 2 ties and 4 shootouts. He had 37 goals against bringing his goals against average to 1.79. With that team he played 11 play off games (623 minutes) winning The next team was a finish WJC team (which I think is the world Junior championship team). He played in 6 games (360 minutes) with 4 wins 2 losses and 1 shootout. He faced 7 goals against and had a goals against average of 7.17. The next team listed was the finish WC team but no stats are listed (weird I know!). In 2002-2003 Kari splits his time again and this time it's between one regular Finnish team and the world Championship team and the junior World team. With the regular Fin team he played in 45 games (2,634minutes) winning 23, losing 14, tying 6 with 5 shootouts. He faced 87 g
oals against bringing the goals against average to 1.98. They went to playoffs that year. Kari played in 10 games (626 minutes) winning 6, losing 4 with 2 shoot outs. He faced 17 goals against bringing his goals against average to 1.63. With the world Junior championship team he played 6 games (357 minutes) winning 3, losing 2, tying 1 with 2 shootouts. He faced 13 goals against bringing his goals against average to 2.19. Of course the stats for the world Championship team are not listed. Finally in the 2003-2004 season Thrasher fans officially welcomed baby Kari into the nest (and the crease) but he only played in 4 games (240 minutes) winning all four with 1 shootout. He faced 5 goals against and 106 shots against bringing his goals against average to 1.25 and his saves percentage to .953. He also played with the Chicag
o wolves in that season as well. With the wolves he played in 39 games (2,192 minutes) with 20 wins, 14 losses, 2 ties and 3 shoot outs. He faced 88 goals against and 1,189 shots against bringing his saves average to .926 and his goals against average to 2.41. The wolves went to playoffs and Kari played 10 games (663 minutes) winning 6 and losing 4 with 1 shootout. He faced 23 goals againsts and 397 shots against. His saves percentage was .942 and his goals against average was 2.08. In 2004-2005 Kari went to the world cup but there's no stats listed for that. He did however play the whole season the wolves up in Chicago. He played in 57 games (3,378 minutes), winning 38 , losing 17 and tying 2 with 5 shootouts. He faced 128 goals against and 1,182 Shots against bring his saves percentage to .929 and his goals against his average to 2.27. They went to playoffs again that season! Kari played in 16 games (983 minutes) winning 10, losing
6 with 2 shootouts. He faced 28 goals against and 457 shots against. His saves percentage was .939 and his goals against average was 1.71. The next 2 seasons he played fully with the thrashers. So in the 2005-2006 season he played in 38 games (2,166 minutes) winning 20, losing 15, with no ties but 5 shootouts. He faced 106 goals against and 1,123 shots against bringing his goals against average to 2.94 and his saves percentage to .906. The 2006-2007 season he played in 68 games (3,934 minutes) winning 34, losing 24 with 9 overtimes and 4 shootouts. He faced 183 goals against and 2,075 shots against bringing his goals against average to 2.79 and his saves percentage to .912. We went to the post season that year. Kari played in 2 games (118 minutes) losing both with no overtimes or shootouts. He faced 11 goals against and 73 shots against bringing his saves percentage to .849 and his goals against average was 5.59. 
He went to the 2006-2007 world championship with Finland where he played in 6 games winning 4, losing 2 with 1 shootout. He faced 12 goals against and 138 shots against which brought his save percentage to .934 and his goals against average to 1.93. There was no stats listed for the playoffs for the championships even though they went. The 2007-2008 season he split his time between the wolves and the thrashers. With the thrashers he played 48 games (2,707 minutes) winning 17, losing 22 with 5 overtimes and 4 over times. He faced 131 goals against and 1,550 shots against bring his saves percentage to .916 and his goals against average to 2.90. With the Wolves he played in 2 ga
mes winning both with no shootouts or over time with 4 goals against and 61 shots against. He had a goals against average of 1.93 and a saves percentage of .934. The wolves went to playoffs that year as well but no stats were listed. In the 2008-2009 season he played with the thrashers where he played in 46 games (2,624 minutes) winning 19 , losing 22 with 3 overtimes. He faced 134 goals against and 1,498 shots against bringing his saves percentage to .911 and his goals against average to 3.06. In 2009-2010 he played a rehab start with the Chicago wolves but stats are not listed, stats are only listed for the Dallas stars. He played in 12 games (663 minutes) winning 6 and losing 4 with no shootouts or overtimes. He faced 31 goals against and 350 shots against bringing his saves percentage to .911 and his goals against to 2.81. So congrats to Kari for the trade and we'll miss you!
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