nikkurri17

Kurri for 3rd round pick.

Niklas Kurri Forward Points Plus/Minus

The Saskatoon Wild have been enjoying an excellent season. The club has clinched the Conference Championship and looks to be a favorite to take home the VHLM Championship this season. The team has received incredibly balanced scoring throughout the line-up. Through 64 games, the team has 9 players who have scored over 50 points, 7 of those players are scoring at more than a point per game. Jarome Iginla is leading the Wild attack, scoring 54 goals and adding 49 assists, good for 103 points. Scoring is not the only reason Saskatoon is on top right now. The wild have received very solid goaltending from Gunnar Skovsgard. The goaltender has played every minute in net for the Wild. Skovsgard has posted a 2.26 goals against average and a .906 save percentage, Very respectable statistics in the high scoring VHLM. Niklas Kurri is a player who may be flying under the radar a little bit on a team that features a ton of talent. The Finnish center has played a very important two-way center role for the Wild and is among the teams key contributors. The Wild's second line center, Kurri contributes in all areas of the game and has steadily been improving throughout the year. Jari's nephew Nik is certainly no slouch in the offensive zone, but that's not the area of his game that has stood out. Niklas Kurri can be found among the leagues leaders in a number of the key defensive statistics. Kurri leads the Wild with a plus/minus rating of +54. That impressive stat ranks 6th in the entire VHLM. Kurri leads Saskatoon winning 54.4% of his face-offs. Kurri ranks 7th in the VHLM in face-off percentage. Kurri is also tied for 4th in the league with 2 shorthanded goals, despite the fact he did not begin the season on the teams special teams units. Kurri has registered 123 hits and blocked 16 shots as well. Offensively Kurri ranks 9th on the team in scoring. Niklas has scored 19 goals and has assisted on 32 others. Kurri's shot is deadly accurate, scoring those 19 goals on just 108 shots. The Wild's second line of Kurri centering offensive wingers, Iginla and left wing Ashton Galbraith, has definitely been one of the keys to the teams success. Kurri may not have shown the same scoring ability of his legendary uncle just yet, but he has definitely shown flashes of greatness. I would expect Kurri's offensive production to continue to improve as the Finn gets more acclimated to the professional game. The Saskatoon Wild will be disappointed with anything short of a VHLM Championship. The management staff deserves a lot of credit for assembling the team's group of players. Kurri was the clubs 3rd round pick in the most recent VHLM Dispersal draft. On top of that G.M. Kendrick acquired one of the top defenseman in the VHLM in Borje Samuelsson. Will the team be able to meet their own expectations? Only time will tell.

nice job r1ce, looking forward to part 2!

Shit I should try to not be a bust too! Not too hard when your a late draft pick though lol

Borje Samuelsson is the newest member of the Saskatoon Wild The Saskatoon Wild added a huge piece to the puzzle recently, acquiring 6'7" Defenseman Borje Samuelsson from the Moscow Red Wolves in exchange for Defenseman Lights Boken and a 3rd round pick. Samuelsson has had a great rookie season and is projected as a high pick in the upcoming VHL draft. In 48 games for the Red Wolves, Samuelsson scored 15 goals and added 62 assists for a total of 77 points. Samuelsson was scoring at over a point and a half per game. Samuelsson has been playing nearly 29 minutes per game and has been used in all situations by the coaching staff in Moscow. The Sweedish defenseman has registered 199 hits and blocked 129 shots. Samuelsson scored 8 goals and recorded 13 assists on the powerplay for the Red Wolves. While Samuelsson may not receive the extensive ice time he was receiving in Moscow, his production should not slip much on the talented Saskatoon team. The Wild have aspirations of winning the cup this season and adding a piece like Samuelsson should go a long ways towards achieving their goals. The top defensive paring of Joshua Rubin and Gunzerker Salvador should remain unchanged. Samuelsson should be paired with fellow rookie defenseman Jakub Rhinehart. That top 4 is very impressive with each player bringing individual strengths that create a very balanced group. The Wild also posses a very potent top 6 forward group and have made it clear that anything short of a championship will be considered a failure. Borje Samuelsson is know as one of the best teammates in the league and should be a tremendous addition to the Wild lockerroom. Samuelsson has played some junior hockey with Niklas Kurri and Jakub Rhinehart and should get acclimated with the team very quickly. "Borje is a awesome teammate, I can't believe we were able to acquire him!" Said Kurri, "He has been having a unbelievable season and I look forward to having him on my team instead of having to deal with him on the other side of the ice." Overall the team is among the most motivated in the league when it comes to improving their play and Saskatoon has certainly assembled a very impressive group of players. The Saskatoon Wild were already the best team in the league with a record of 39 wins, 8 losses and 3 overtime losses. The addition of such a impressive defenseman this late in the season most likely makes them the favorites to bring home the VHLM championship. The Wild can put out Joshua Rubin or Samuelsson for basically the entire game, Rubin has had an amazing season but a closer look at Samuelsson's numbers and it becomes apparent how valuable of a player he is. Samuelsson brings a physical dimension to Saskatoon that is sure to intimidate opposing players and coaches. The giant defenseman leads the entire VHLM in hits, is third in shots blocked and third in penalty minutes. The rookies scoring output is fourth in the league among defenders proving that he is indeed a two-way force. The Wild are looking tough to beat this season and things just got a whole lot tougher for the opposition.

The Saskatoon Wild have got off to an excellent start this season. The franchise has ammased a record of 16-3-1 through 20 games and has an incredible goal differential of +36. The team has received great individual contributions from the likes of Joshua Rubin, Rami Jakobssen, Jarome Iginla, Kurtis Hunter, Lights Boken, Ashton Galbraith and Gunzerker Salvador. Gunnar Skovsgard has been excellent in net and has backstopped every game for the Wild. Overall the team has begun to display excellent chemistry on the ice and new G.M. Kendrick has done an excellent job keeping everybody motivated off the ice to become the best player possible. The goal is to win the cup and everybody seems to be on board! Niklas Kurri has received most of his ice-time primarily during even strength situations as the team's 2nd line center. Kurri has centered left winger Ashton Galbraith and right wing Jarome Iginla. Kurri has not looked out of place and has put up some pretty impressive numbers.Through 20 games, Kurri has scored 6 goals on 23 shots giving him a shooting percentage over 25%. Niklas had added 4 assists and has posted a staggering plus/minus of +18. Another area where Nik has impressed is in the face-offs column. Kurri has won 59.4 % of his draws, that percentage is good for 1st on the team and 7th overall in the VHLM. Up until this point Kurri's development has been pretty slow and he is yet to break out offensively. While he still has a lot of room to improve, Kurri has consistently made strides and appears to be becoming a solid two-way center that could be a huge part of the Seattle Bears rebuild. The Seattle Bears are in last place in the entire VHL with a record of 3-13-1. The team has struggled equally to score goals and at keeping the puck out of their own net. The Bears have some good pieces in place with Karsten Olsen, Willie Weber and Dan Tremblay, but they certainly will present young players with the opportunity to play key roles in the near future. The Bears added some key pieces to the puzzle in the previous draft. The Bears selected promising defenseman Llyod Light, Kurri and defenseman Brock Weathers. Right wing Brady Stopko will also be a key component of the teams future. These young players offer the club some hope moving forward and will be sure to help the team improve. Combined with an upcoming high draft pick and the addition of some more pieces through the draft and free agency, Seattle should again become an attractive place for players to play in the VHL. The General Manager Bushito has been awesome, making himself available to answer any questions or just talk about the team in general whenever possible to the club's players. If your reading this I hope you seriously consider joining Seattle in the future. This season Kurri's focus has been solely on the task on-hand in Saskatoon. The team has championship aspirations and this could be a huge season for Kurri as he learns what it takes to be a key component of a successful team. Hope you enjoyed.

Through 6 games I have scored 2 goals on 2 shots while playing 135 minutes.. shoot the puck Nik!

I did vhlm training camp last season... Does that make me ineligible?

Niklas Kurri remains a bit of a mystery to casual followers of the VHL. Kurri played in 45 games, scored 7 goals on 64 shots, added 16 assists and achieved a respectable plus/minus rating of +4 for the Brampton Blades of the VHLM during Season 39. Kurri also dished out 50 hits showing that he has the potential to play a more physical game as he matures. Niklas appeared in 7 playoff games, scored a goal, added a couple of assists and blocked an impressive 12 shots. Kurri was recently selected in the 3rd round, 27th overall in the VHL draft by the rebuilding Seattle Bears franchise and 28th overall by the Saskatoon Wild in the 3rd round of the VHLM dispersal draft. Jaine Doh of the Seattle Gazette caught up with Finnish center Niklas Kurri and asked him some questions regarding various topics. JD: Thanks for joining us Nik! Welcome to Seattle! NK: Thanks Jaine, my pleasure! Glad to be here. JD: I'm ecstatic that your in Seattle now! We look forward to following you around and seeing what the life of a professional hockey player is like on a daily basis. NK: Well I'm very happy to be in Seattle! It's a beautiful city and there is a lot I look forward to in the future.... I don't know about being followed around... your joking right? JD: Of course not Nik! Your the next big thing! Anyways, whats it like being a hockey player with the last name Kurri? NK: Well my uncle Jari certainly set the bar pretty high! I don't view myself differently than any other person trying to make it as a professional hockey player. It takes hardwork and dedication to make it. Just because you have a relative who has been successful does not guarantee the same for yourself, if that was the case Brent Gretzky would be a hall of famer... It's not like a government job! I have a lot to prove if I want to be successful as a professional and I can't worry about trying to live up to my uncles success. It does have it's benefits though, I plan on asking Gretz for some passing tips and maybe Teemu has some free time to help me train now! JD: Don't be modest Nik, your going to be a star! What were the VHL and VHLM GM's thinking the other day when they continuously passed you up in the drafts? You should have went #1! NK: Well for one I didn't have that good of a season... Honestly I didn't train hard enough to deserve to be picked that high. Like I said I have a lot to prove and I really need to start focusing on what it takes to be a VHL player between games. I don't blame the GM's for passing me up and at the same time I'm extremely happy with how things worked out. I played a year of Junior with the Everett Silvertips so I'm familiar with the area and have some friends in the community. I think that will help me adjust quickly and dedicate myself to being successful. JD: So you will be here in Seattle this season then? NK: No, actually I will be spending the season with the Saskatoon Wild. I know some people within the organization. I can't wait to get the season underway and truly dedicate myself to becoming a VHL player! JD: Oh wow .... I don't know what to say ... um anyways, Seattle is in a rebuild, are you dissapointed you didn't go to a team that is an immediate contender? NK: No not at all, I feel the situation in Seattle is perfect for me. I look forward to helping turn things around and I think we can create something very special in Seattle! I've had some good conversations with the GM Bushito and he seems very committed to turning things around and creating a winning culture in Seattle. I can't wait to get there next season but for now my focus will be with the Saskatoon Wild. JD: I can't wait .... Please come to Seattle this season? NK: Wait a sec... are you that crazy reporter from St. Louis that was stalking Bottas?? JD: Me .... nooooooo... of course not! who's Bottas? NK: Ohh .... I coulda swore .. nevermind.. yeah Bottas, a client of my agent's from a different league. Anyways I gotta go catch a flight ... Thanks for having me? I think? JD: The pleasure is all mine NIk, call me? NK: Oh shit you are that reporter!! This interview is over!

Steal of the draft

Niklas Kurri - Brampton +2

Nik Kurri - 2

Kurri = steal.

Wild 6 Rush 3

Red Wolves Blades Gladiators Storm

Hello, New around here, I literally just started editing graphics yesterday and figured Kurri needed a sig ..

does the autobiography count against this? +2

Player Name: Niklas Kurri Position: Center Handedness: Right Jersey Number: 17 Height: 6'2" Weight: 202 lbs. Birthplace: Helsinki, Finland VHLM Team: Brampton Blades Background Niklas Kurri was born in Helsinki, Finland, the capital city of the illustrious hockey nation. Kurri is the nephew of Jari Kurri, arguably the greatest Finnish hockey player of all time. Niklas was introduced to the sport at a very young age, learning to skate at the age of 4 and joining his first youth league at the age of 6. It was obvious from the beginning that young Nik had inherited the hockey gene that was passed on in the Kurri family. Kurri averaged 6 goals a game and was bumped up to the 12 and under group as a 8 year old! Kurri played youth hockey with some well known Finn's such as Tuevo Teravainen, Julius Honka and current teammate Mikko Koskinen. At the age of 16, Kurri started his professional career. Kurri played the season for his hometown club in the SM-Liiga, Jokerit-Helsinki. Kurri put up respectable numbers while appearing in 29 matches for the pro-team. Kurri scored seven goals, added four assists and finished with a team best plus/minus of +12. Kurri earned the trust of his coaches and even managed to receive playing time on the team's penalty killing unit, a huge accomplishment for a 16 year-old rookie. Kurri finished third on the club with two shorthanded goals. Kurri was selected to play on the Finnish U-18 World Junior team and finished the tournament with two goals and an assist in six games. The following season, Kurri crossed the Atlantic and played for the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League. The Jokerit fans and coaching staff were not happy to see Nik go. Kurri put up fantastic numbers for the Washington based franchise and led the team to within a single game of a chance to play for the Memorial Cup. Nik Kurri scored 46 goals, added 51 assists and was regarded as one of the best defensive forwards in the entire league. The highlight of Kurri's season was leading the Finnish U-20 World Junior squad to a gold medal. Kurri played a huge part in the Finn's victory scoring 8 goals and adding 4 assists playing in 7 games during the tournament. Pro's Skating: The aspect of Nik's game that stands out the most is his fluid skating. For a player with such great size, Kurri glides effortlessly around the ice and makes it look extremely easy. Kurri uses his deceptively smooth stride to beat unsuspecting defenders wide off of the rush, to gather loose pucks in the defensive zone and to terrorize opponents when he gains a step on them during the penalty kill. Kurri is a bull on his skates and has multiple way's of using his skating to his advantage. The most underrated part of Kurri's skating ability is his agility. Defense: With Kurri's bloodlines it should come as no surprise that he is very responsible in his own zone. Niklas is a complete player and pays attention to all 200 feet of the ice equally. Kurri uses his excellent skating ability to be in the proper position and harass opposing players who get careless with the puck in the offensive zone. Kurri has great size and uses his excellent reach to disrupt opponent's trying to set up the powerplay from the point. Niklas has been en-trusted to play on his teams penalty killing unit from a young age and takes pride in his ability to disrupt plays and block shots. Scoring: Niklas has the potential to be one of the most dangerous scorers in the VHL one day. Kurri has always been more of a scorer than a playmaker and is known for the same wicked wrist shot that his uncle was known for. Kurri has one of the quickest releases of all incoming prospects and is sure to work on it more as he looks to make a mark in the VHL. Kurri's shot is incredibly accurate. Kurri's shot power pay be suspect when it comes to VHL standards but this is something that is sure to improve over time. Kurri posses a deadly slap-shot and is known to let bombs fly on the powerplay, firing one-timers from his off point/wing. Con's Face-Off's: In order to be a true elite defensive forward you need to be able to win key face-off's and up until this point, Nik has not shown he has the ability to do so. Kurri has relied on using his size to be somewhat successful at taking draws in the Western Hockey League but he has very poor technique. Kurri is known to stand too far upright and push the puck forward in an attempt to be successful. As the players get stronger and more fundamentally sound, Kurri will need to develop techniques to win important face-offs. Kurri's uncle Jari developed into one of the best face-off men in the league and Niklas could very well do the same. This flaw was exposed in Kurri's game during the season of professional hockey Nik played back home in Finland. Conditioning: While Kurri already possesses a VHL ready frame, There have been rumors that he doesn't work that hard to improve himself in the weight room. Kurri was sometime's pushed around in the Finnish professional league and the same thing happened on occasion with some of the more physical Western Hockey League team's. Kurri will need to dedicate himself 100% to training if he is going to be a successful VHL player. Kurri's agent is said to have been very active in the improvement of his other client, SHL draft eligible defender Valterri Bottas, so it remains to be seen if Kurri will be given the same type of guidance. Familiarity with the League: Kurri is said to have had a tough time adapting to life in Brampton so far. Kurri has played with newly signed teammate Mikko Koskinen before, so maybe that will help Nik adapt to life in North America. Kurri has been distant from his teammates and has not had much, if any interaction with anybody from the team. At one point the General Manager did reach out to Niklas but it remains to be seen if he will dedicate himself to the team or possibly return home to play professionally in Finland. The next couple weeks should be huge in determining if Niklas is cut out for the VHL. Conclusion Niklas Kurri has all the potential in the world but up until this point has showed very little interest in the VHL. Kurri could become a elite two-way Center but has not shown us the ability to do so yet.

+ 5 scoring +5 skating