About Jari Kurri
Jari Pekka Kurri (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈjɑri ˈpekːɑ ˈkurːi]; born 18 May 1960) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey player. Beginning in 1980, he played right wing for five National Hockey League (NHL) teams: the Edmonton Oilers, the Los Angeles Kings, the New York Rangers, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, and the Colorado Avalanche. Prior to his NHL career, Kurri excelled for Jokerit in the SM-liiga, and he rose from playing in the Finnish junior ice hockey team to the country's national hockey team in two years. He was drafted in the fourth round of the 1980 NHL draft by the Oilers and immediately played for the team that year. Kurri played 17 seasons in the NHL, along with one season in Serie A for Devils Milano. Armed with a quick release for his shot, Kurri recorded a 30-goal season in each of his first ten seasons in the NHL, which included being the NHL goal scoring leader in the 1985–86 season. Kurri led all skaters in goals in the Stanley Cup playoffs on four occasions, including tying the all-time postseason record with 19 in 1985. While he never won the Frank J. Selke Trophy for his defensive skill, he won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for his sportsmanship in 1985. He won the Stanley Cup five times, all with the Oilers, as one of just seven players to be part of all five Cup-winning teams with Edmonton. He was the 18th player in NHL history and first Finnish player to score 500 goals, doing so in 1992, and he became the eighth player to score 600 goals, doing so in his final season in 1997. Kurri's No. 17 jersey was retired by the Edmonton Oilers and Jokerit. Internationally, Kurri played on the Finland men's national ice hockey team, winning a bronze medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics. He was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001. After his playing career ended, Kurri served as the general manager of the Finnish national team from 2003 to 2014 before becoming GM of Jokerit in 2013; he became owner in 2019 before selling the team in 2022. In 2017, Kurri was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in history. Kurri played 17 seasons in the NHL and was the first Finnish player to be enshrined into the Hockey Hall of Fame, in 2001. Although Kurri never won the Selke Trophy, he was regarded as one of the best defensive forwards in the NHL. He won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in 1985, and was the NHL goal scoring leader in the 1985–86 season. Kurri and Gretzky became one of the most prolific scoring duos ever to play in the NHL.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.