Jani Rita
Encyclopedia
Jani Rita is a professional ice hockey
winger.
experience, Rita has played extensively in the American Hockey League
and in the SM-liiga
in his native Finland. Rita started his hockeycareer in a youth team of EKS (Espoon Kiekkoseura). He played his first seasons of pro hockey for Jokerit
, Helsinki
, and was drafted 13th overall in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft
by the Edmonton Oilers
.
Rita played for HPK
in the SM-liiga
during the 2004–05 NHL lockout, winning the bronze medal. That season he was awarded the Raimo Kilpiö trophy
, and led the league in scoring during the playoffs. He also represented Finland at the 2005 World Hockey Championship
, earning one assist. He had signed with Jokerit
for the 2005–06 season with a contractual clause enabling him to return to the NHL. When the Oilers offered him a one-year contract in August 2005, Rita signed on to return to North America.
Although once considered a premier prospect at the NHL level, Rita's slow development showed cause for concern to Oilers management. On January 26, 2006, Rita was traded along with Cory Cross
, to the Pittsburgh Penguins
for Dick Tärnström
. He finished the season with just 10 points in 51 games.
It was announced on 2 May 2006 that Rita was to depart Pittsburgh to join Jokerit
on a one-year contract. He was the best goal scorer of SM-liiga in 2006–2007 season.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
winger.
Playing career
Despite limited NHLNational Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
experience, Rita has played extensively in the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
and in the SM-liiga
SM-liiga
The SM-liiga is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. As of March 2008, it is ranked by the IIHF as the second strongest league in Europe. It was created in 1975 to replace the SM-sarja, which was fundamentally an amateur league. The SM-liiga is not directly overseen by the Finnish Ice...
in his native Finland. Rita started his hockeycareer in a youth team of EKS (Espoon Kiekkoseura). He played his first seasons of pro hockey for Jokerit
Jokerit
Jokerit is an ice-hockey team from Helsinki, Finland, playing in the Finnish Elite League, SM-liiga. The team has won 6 league championships...
, Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, and was drafted 13th overall in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft
1999 NHL Entry Draft
The 1999 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 26 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts. According to Sports Illustrated and other sports news agencies, at the time the 1999 draft was considered one of the deepest in talent in years, headed by Patrik Stefan and the Sedin twins. However, the...
by the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
.
Rita played for HPK
HPK
HPK is an ice hockey team in the SM-liiga. They play in Hämeenlinna, Finland at the Hämeenlinnan jäähalli. HPK was established in 1929. The full name of the club is HPK-Edustusjääkiekko Ry and the team is sometimes promoted as the "Hockey Playing Knights", with the logo representing a knight...
in the SM-liiga
SM-liiga
The SM-liiga is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. As of March 2008, it is ranked by the IIHF as the second strongest league in Europe. It was created in 1975 to replace the SM-sarja, which was fundamentally an amateur league. The SM-liiga is not directly overseen by the Finnish Ice...
during the 2004–05 NHL lockout, winning the bronze medal. That season he was awarded the Raimo Kilpiö trophy
Raimo Kilpiö trophy
The Raimo Kilpiö trophy is an ice hockey trophy awarded by the Finnish SM-liiga to the "gentleman player" of the season.-Trophy winners:1953–54: Esko Rekomaa 1954–55: Seppo Liitsola 1955–56: Teppo Rastio 1956–57: Aki Salonen...
, and led the league in scoring during the playoffs. He also represented Finland at the 2005 World Hockey Championship
Ice Hockey World Championships
The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European...
, earning one assist. He had signed with Jokerit
Jokerit
Jokerit is an ice-hockey team from Helsinki, Finland, playing in the Finnish Elite League, SM-liiga. The team has won 6 league championships...
for the 2005–06 season with a contractual clause enabling him to return to the NHL. When the Oilers offered him a one-year contract in August 2005, Rita signed on to return to North America.
Although once considered a premier prospect at the NHL level, Rita's slow development showed cause for concern to Oilers management. On January 26, 2006, Rita was traded along with Cory Cross
Cory Cross
Cory Cross is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman, who played twelve seasons in the National Hockey League...
, to the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
for Dick Tärnström
Dick Tärnström
Dick Tärnström is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing in AIK of the Elitserien.-Playing career:Tärnström started his professional career in AIK...
. He finished the season with just 10 points in 51 games.
It was announced on 2 May 2006 that Rita was to depart Pittsburgh to join Jokerit
Jokerit
Jokerit is an ice-hockey team from Helsinki, Finland, playing in the Finnish Elite League, SM-liiga. The team has won 6 league championships...
on a one-year contract. He was the best goal scorer of SM-liiga in 2006–2007 season.
Awards
- Raimo Kilpiö trophyRaimo Kilpiö trophyThe Raimo Kilpiö trophy is an ice hockey trophy awarded by the Finnish SM-liiga to the "gentleman player" of the season.-Trophy winners:1953–54: Esko Rekomaa 1954–55: Seppo Liitsola 1955–56: Teppo Rastio 1956–57: Aki Salonen...
for gentleman player - 2005 - Aarne Honkavaara trophyAarne Honkavaara trophyThe Aarne Honkavaara trophy is an ice hockey trophy given by the Finnish SM-liiga to the player who scores the most goals during regular season play.Trophy Winners:1977-78: Markku Kiimalainen 1978-79: Kari Makkonen...
for best goal scorer - 2007
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1998–99 | Jokerit Jokerit Jokerit is an ice-hockey team from Helsinki, Finland, playing in the Finnish Elite League, SM-liiga. The team has won 6 league championships... |
SM-liiga SM-liiga The SM-liiga is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. As of March 2008, it is ranked by the IIHF as the second strongest league in Europe. It was created in 1975 to replace the SM-sarja, which was fundamentally an amateur league. The SM-liiga is not directly overseen by the Finnish Ice... |
41 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 39 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–00 | Jokerit | SM-liiga | 49 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2000–01 | Jokerit | SM-liiga | 50 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 2001–02 2001–02 AHL season The 2001–02 AHL season was the 66th season of the American Hockey League. It was the season of the biggest growth in the AHL's history, as it accepted eight new teams. The demise of the International Hockey League brought six teams transferring from the defunct league, in addition to two expansion... |
Hamilton Bulldogs Hamilton Bulldogs The Hamilton Bulldogs are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, at Copps Coliseum, nicknamed 'The Dog Pound'. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
76 | 25 | 17 | 42 | 32 | 15 | 8 | 4 | 12 | 0 | ||
| 2001–02 | Edmonton Oilers Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League .... |
NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 2002–03 AHL season The 2002–03 AHL season was the 67th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-eight teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hamilton Bulldogs finished first overall in the regular season... |
Hamilton Bulldogs | AHL | 64 | 21 | 27 | 48 | 18 | 23 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 2 | ||
| 2002–03 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 12 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 2003–04 AHL season The 2003–04 AHL season was the 68th season of the American Hockey League. The league introduces the Willie Marshall Award in honour the career points leader in the AHL, and awards it to the annual top goal scorer.... |
Toronto Roadrunners | AHL | 64 | 17 | 24 | 41 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2003–04 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | HPK | SM-liiga | 56 | 21 | 18 | 39 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 4 | ||
| 2005–06 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 21 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 30 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Jokerit | SM-liiga | 56 | 32 | 20 | 52 | 28 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 2 | ||
| 2007–08 | Jokerit | SM-liiga | 37 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Jokerit | SM-liiga | 58 | 14 | 16 | 30 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||
| NHL totals | 65 | 9 | 5 | 14 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
External links
- Jani Rita on nhlfinns.com
- Prospect Report: Jani Rita