| 29.7.2001 Alex Brooks is tested for Jokerit | |
| Americandefender Alex Brooks has been tested for Jokerit last two weeks. Brooks has played last four seasons in Wiscons University.
24-years old Brooks made last season in NCAA-league 41 matches points 3+16=19, he got 76 PIMs. He was 9th best pointscorer in his team. He played in jersey 12.
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| 17.7.2001 Jan Benda also to Oil | |
| Jan Benda, played two seaons in Jokerit is transferring to the Edmonton Oilers. 'Jando' signed a one year, one way agreement which is valued around 2.8 million FIN marks (approx. US$ 410,400). Benda would have signed an agreement for a similar amount with AK Bars Kazan (Russia) where he moved from Jokerit after the previous season on a one year contract. Jokerit did not receive any compensation for Benda as he has played earlier in the NHL with the Washington Capitals for 9 matches.
The Edmonton Oilers could have next season a 'Finnish team' as the team's organization has 4 more Finns: Jani Rita, Kari Haakana, Jussi Markkanen, and last year's number one defenceman, Janne Niinimaa, who is still without a contract.
In Jokerit, Tuomo Ruutu is staying to play next season. Frank Banham, Pavel Rosa, also Antti Aalto could move anytime across the Atlantic, but at the moment the only possible one leaving is Banham.
Jokerit received from 5 NHL player transfer compensation approximately 2 million marks (approx. US$ 293,000)
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Jan Benda
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| 15.7.2001 Jani Rita to Edmonton Oilers | |
| Whole career in Jokerit played Jani Rita has made a 3-year contract with Edmonton Oilers. Rita was drafted by Edmonton year 1999 number 13.
From Espoo Blues to Jokerit transferred Canadianwinger Frank Banham is concidering New York Islanders' offer.
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Jani Rita
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| 12.7.2001 Nupe and Gary made NHL-deal | |
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Goalie Pasi Nurminen and defender Kari Haakana have been made contracts to NHL with their draftteams. Nupe signed 2-years contract with Atlanta Trashers and Gary 1-year contract with Edmonton Oilers.
Czech-defender Karel Pilar (who made contract to Jokerit at January) is going also to NHL, he has signed multi-year deal with Toronto Maple Leafs. Frank Banham seems to stay in Jokerit, though Mad Mike has made him a good offer. If Jani Rita doesn't get contract to Edmonton, he's probalbly going to Tappara.
Players, who replaces the NHL-players have been already found and Jokerit will sign them contracts. Josef Boumedienne still might come to Jokerit eventhough he has practised whole summer in Tampere.
Ex-Jokeritwinger, rookie of the season, bronzemedal winner in Ilves Tampere, Toni Dalhman, signed also NHL-contract. He made deal of 2 years with Ottawa Senators. Dalhman was drafted at the end of the draft, number 286.
Other last yer in Finnish Elite League played players who made NHL-contract are Timos Vertala (Tappara - Montreal Canadiens) and Pärssinen (TPS - Anaheim Mighty Ducks).
At the end of deadline (July 15th) there might be more movement to North America.
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Pasi Nurminen
Kari Haakana
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| 1.7.2001 Sean Gagnon to Rangers | |
| Ottawa Senators and New York Rangers have traded players. Ex-Jokerit -defender Sean Gagnon is going to Rangers and to Senators other defender, Jason Doig.
So, Gags don't come to Jokerit next season.
Last season Gagnon played mainly in Grand Rapids Griffins in IHL, he also played 5 matches in Sens.
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Sean Gagnon
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| 25.6.2001 NHL Draft 2001 - 2nd round | |
| Three Jokerit-players were drafted today. Tomi Mäki was drafted by Calgary Flames (number 108).
Atlanta Trashers selected Pasi Nurminen and Edmonton Oilers took Kari Haakana.
Many other Finnish players were also drafted. Known from Finnish Elite League: Timo Pärssinen (Anaheim, 102), Tony Virta (Minnesota, 103), Martti Järventie (Montreal, 109), Jussi Markkanen (Edmonton, 133) Tuukka Mäntylä (Los Angeles, 153), Ville Hämäläinen (Calgary, 251) and Toni Dalhman (Ottawa, 286).
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Kari Haakana |
| 23.6.2001 NHL Draft 2001 - 1st round | |
| Atlanta Trashers made expected move, when they drafted Russian-winger Ilja Kovalchuk. Canadian-forward Jason Spezza
was 2nd (Ottawa Senators).
TPS-center Mikko Ruutu was drafted to Minnesota, draftposition was 6th.
Jokerit-fans are more intrested in Tuomo Ruutu, Chicago Blackhawks drafted Rudy. The position could have been better, but because of kneeoperation,
his position was 9th.
Also Karel Pilar was drafted. Toronto Maple Leafs took him in second round number 39. Pilar played last season in Extraliga (Czech) in Litvinov and he was league's best defender. He played a good WC-games in Germany with his defencepair Radek Martinek, who made a deal with New York Islanders.
Tomorrow might also couple Jokerit-players get drafted, probable players are goalie Pasi Nurminen, defenders Kari Haakana and Rami Alanko.
>Take a look also Jokerit-players draft-statistics and
>Earlier years best drafted players
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Tuomo Ruutu |
| 20.6.2001 Rantanen went to Sweden | |
| So, Rantanen is not going to Italy, he has made a deal with Björklöven. Team was Swedish Elitserien-league's last season 2000-01.
Rantanen moved to Sweden from Norway, team Vålerenga.
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Marko Rantanen |
| 20.6.2001 Former Jokerit-players to Italy? | |
| Rumors from Italy tells that HC Alleghe is intrested in Jari Eerikäinen, Sami Nuutinen and Marko Rantanen. All of them have played in Jokerit.
There played a Finn in Alleghe last season, Sami Walhsten, also an ex-Jokerit-player.
Eerikäinen played most part of last season in Kiekko-Vantaa (Finnish 1-div), Nuutinen played in HPK (Finnish Elite League) and Rantanen was a goalie of Norway's championteam Vålerenga.
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Jari Eerikäinen |
| 16.6.2001 Giroux back to NHL | |
| Defender Ray Giroux made a deal with New York Islanders. Giroux has played in Islanders season 1999-00, he got 9 goalassists in 14 games.
He traded to Jokerit for Tomas Johansson from AIK. He started his season in HIFK.
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Ray Giroux |
| 7.6.2001 Juha Lind and Jukka Tiilikainen to Sweden | |
| Two former Jokerit-players, Juha Lind and Jukka Tiilikainen are playing next season in Swedish Elitserien, Södertälje.
Many other Swedishteams wanted Lind but he chose Södertälje because his fiancee got job at that town.
Big disappointment in Espoo Blues, Jukka Tiilikainen moved also to Södertälje. Tiilikainen's career in Jokerit (seasons 1998-00) ended when Jukka got boot from Jokerit management and he played the rest of the season 1999-2000 in AIK Stockholm. Last season in Blues was terrible, only 2+12=14 points.
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Jukka Tiilikainen |
| 4.6.2001 English version of JokeriWeb partly ready | |
| Because in JokeriWeb might visit some foreigners, I decided to translate JokeriWeb partly to English. There will be some mistakes, if you see them,
please tell them to me. Please write to feedback-form.
This English-version is lot lighter than Finnish one, I don't really have the time to translate all pages to English. Sorry about this. But if I get another people
to do this section, this might be a bigger.
Please enjoy JokeriWeb and write to guestbook.
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| 1.6.2001 Hentunen made NHL-contract | |
| Jokerit-player Jukka Hentunen made a 1+1-year and one way contract with Calgary Flames.
Calgary wanted Hentu to NHL already for season 99-00, but Hentunen wanted to stay in Finnish league for 1 year.
He came to Jokerit from HPK Hameenlinna with 2-year contract. To HPK he came from Hermes, which plays in 1-division.
In Calgary played defender Toni Lydman his first NHL-season in Calgary. Miika Elomo won AHL-championship in
Calgary's farmteam, Saint John Flames.
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Jukka Hentunen |
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