Kari Lehtonen
Encyclopedia
Kari Lehtonen is a Finnish
professional ice hockey
goaltender
currently playing for the Dallas Stars
of the National Hockey League
(NHL). He was selected second overall in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft
by the Atlanta Thrashers
, becoming the highest-drafted European goaltender as well as the highest Finnish player ever in NHL history.
by the Atlanta Thrashers
after an outstanding 2001–02 season in the Finnish SM-liiga
. Lehtonen was the backup goalie for Jokerit
, but captured the starting position and won the Urpo Ylönen trophy
, given to the best goalie of the season, and the league's playoff MVP award, the Jari Kurri trophy
. Lehtonen stayed with Jokerit for one more season before crossing the sea.
, the Thrashers' American Hockey League
(AHL) affiliate, but he was called up for a number of occasions and played four games for the Thrashers, winning all four of them and posting one shutout
. After posting a .953 save percentage and 1.25 goals against average
(GAA), Lehtonen spent the majority of the year in the AHL.
Lehtonen spent the 2004–05 NHL lockout season with the Wolves, adjusting to the North American playing style. After he playing 57 games for the Wolves, of which he won 38, posting .929 save percentage and 2.27 GAA, the Thrashers called him up and Lehtonen started the 2005–06 season as the starting goalie for Atlanta. On the opening night of the 2005–06 season, Lehtonen suffered a serious groin
injury when Florida Panthers
center Nathan Horton
collided with Lehtonen. The injury sidelined him for 35 games. Lehtonen was once again injured on April 6, 2006 when Tampa Bay Lightning
forward Chris Dingman
collided with him. Lehtonen tried to get to his feet but sprained his ankle in the process.
Shortly into the 2006–07 NHL season, Lehtonen broke the Atlanta Thrashers shutout streak record previously held by Michael Garnett
. He also set his career highs in every category.
AirTran Airways
, a low-cost airline, signed Lehtonen as an endorser for the 2006–07 season.
On February 8, 2007, Lehtonen became the Thrashers franchise leader for wins by a goaltender with 49, surpassing Pasi Nurminen
's record of 48.
On April 12, 2007, Lehtonen was the starting goaltender for the Thrashers in their first NHL playoff game.
After a rough start to the 2007–08 season, Lehtonen suffered another groin injury on October 18, 2007. He would miss 16 games before returning on December 5, 2007. He finished the season with a respectable save percentage to go along with four shutouts as the Thrashers failed to qualify for the playoffs.
for Ivan Vishnevskiy
and a 4th round draft pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft
(Ivan Telegin). Prior to the start of the 2010–11 season
the Stars signed Lehtonen to a three-year $10.65 million extension. In his first full season in Dallas, Lehtonen compiled a 34-24 record with a 2.55 goals against average. Lehtonen and the Stars were officially eliminated from contention for a seed in the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs
after losing to the Minnesota Wild
on the final day of the regular season.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
professional ice hockey
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...
goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
currently playing for the Dallas Stars
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The...
of the National Hockey League
National 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...
(NHL). He was selected second overall in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft
2002 NHL Entry Draft
The 2002 NHL Entry Draft was held June 22–23 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada. 291 players were drafted in total: 35 from the OHL; 23 from the QMJHL; 43 from the WHL; 41 from the NCAA; 6 from U.S high schools and 110 from outside North America....
by the Atlanta Thrashers
Atlanta Thrashers
The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...
, becoming the highest-drafted European goaltender as well as the highest Finnish player ever in NHL history.
Early Years
Kari Lehtonen was drafted second overall in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft2002 NHL Entry Draft
The 2002 NHL Entry Draft was held June 22–23 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada. 291 players were drafted in total: 35 from the OHL; 23 from the QMJHL; 43 from the WHL; 41 from the NCAA; 6 from U.S high schools and 110 from outside North America....
by the Atlanta Thrashers
Atlanta Thrashers
The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...
after an outstanding 2001–02 season in the Finnish 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...
. Lehtonen was the backup goalie 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...
, but captured the starting position and won the Urpo Ylönen trophy
Urpo Ylönen trophy
The Urpo Ylönen trophy is an ice hockey award given by the Finnish SM-liiga to the best goalie of the season.Trophy winners:1977-78: Antero Kivelä 1978-79: Jorma Valtonen 1979-80: Jorma Valtonen 1980-81: Hannu Kamppuri...
, given to the best goalie of the season, and the league's playoff MVP award, the Jari Kurri trophy
Jari Kurri trophy
The Jari Kurri trophy is an ice hockey trophy awarded by the Finnish SM-liiga to the best player in the SM-liiga playoffs. The trophy is named after Jari Kurri....
. Lehtonen stayed with Jokerit for one more season before crossing the sea.
Years in Atlanta
During the 2003–04 NHL season, Lehtonen mostly spent his time with the Chicago WolvesChicago Wolves
The Chicago Wolves are a professional hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL. The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois...
, the Thrashers' 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...
(AHL) affiliate, but he was called up for a number of occasions and played four games for the Thrashers, winning all four of them and posting one shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
. After posting a .953 save percentage and 1.25 goals against average
Goals against average
Goals Against Average is a statistic used in ice hockey, water polo, lacrosse, and soccer that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender....
(GAA), Lehtonen spent the majority of the year in the AHL.
Lehtonen spent the 2004–05 NHL lockout season with the Wolves, adjusting to the North American playing style. After he playing 57 games for the Wolves, of which he won 38, posting .929 save percentage and 2.27 GAA, the Thrashers called him up and Lehtonen started the 2005–06 season as the starting goalie for Atlanta. On the opening night of the 2005–06 season, Lehtonen suffered a serious groin
Groin
In human anatomy, the groin areas are the two creases at the junction of the torso with the legs, on either side of the pubic area. This is also known as the medial compartment of the thigh. A pulled groin muscle usually refers to a painful injury sustained by straining the hip adductor muscles...
injury when Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the...
center Nathan Horton
Nathan Horton
Nathan Horton is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger who currently plays for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League...
collided with Lehtonen. The injury sidelined him for 35 games. Lehtonen was once again injured on April 6, 2006 when Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
forward Chris Dingman
Chris Dingman
Christopher Dingman is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League with the Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, Carolina Hurricanes and the Tampa Bay Lightning.-Playing career:...
collided with him. Lehtonen tried to get to his feet but sprained his ankle in the process.
Shortly into the 2006–07 NHL season, Lehtonen broke the Atlanta Thrashers shutout streak record previously held by Michael Garnett
Michael Garnett
Michael Garnett is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for Traktor Chelyabinsk of the Kontinental Hockey League...
. He also set his career highs in every category.
AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of the Dallas, Texas-based Southwest Airlines, is an American low-cost airline headquartered in Orlando, Florida. AirTran operates over 650 daily flights , primarily in the eastern and midwestern United States...
, a low-cost airline, signed Lehtonen as an endorser for the 2006–07 season.
On February 8, 2007, Lehtonen became the Thrashers franchise leader for wins by a goaltender with 49, surpassing Pasi Nurminen
Pasi Nurminen
Pasi Nurminen is a Finnish retired ice hockey goaltender. He was drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers as their sixth-round pick, #189 overall, in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft....
's record of 48.
On April 12, 2007, Lehtonen was the starting goaltender for the Thrashers in their first NHL playoff game.
After a rough start to the 2007–08 season, Lehtonen suffered another groin injury on October 18, 2007. He would miss 16 games before returning on December 5, 2007. He finished the season with a respectable save percentage to go along with four shutouts as the Thrashers failed to qualify for the playoffs.
Dallas Stars
On February 9, 2010, Lehtonen was traded to the Dallas StarsDallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The...
for Ivan Vishnevskiy
Ivan Vishnevskiy (ice hockey)
Ivan Vishnevskiy is a Russian professional ice hockey defenseman currently playing in the Kontinental Hockey League with Atlant Mytishchi.-Playing career:...
and a 4th round draft pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft
2010 NHL Entry Draft
The 2010 NHL Entry Draft was the 48th NHL Entry Draft, held on June 25–26, 2010 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, home arena of the Los Angeles Kings. This was the first time Los Angeles hosted the NHL Entry Draft. An unofficial record of 11 American-trained players were selected in...
(Ivan Telegin). Prior to the start of the 2010–11 season
2010–11 NHL season
The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech...
the Stars signed Lehtonen to a three-year $10.65 million extension. In his first full season in Dallas, Lehtonen compiled a 34-24 record with a 2.55 goals against average. Lehtonen and the Stars were officially eliminated from contention for a seed in the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs
2011 Stanley Cup playoffs
The 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 13, 2011, after the conclusion of the 2010–11 NHL regular season. Game 1 of the Finals was held on June 1, while Game 7 was held on June 15...
after losing to the Minnesota Wild
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
on the final day of the regular season.
Regular season
| 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 | W | L | OTL | MIN | GA | SO | GAA Goals against average Goals Against Average is a statistic used in ice hockey, water polo, lacrosse, and soccer that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender.... |
SV% Save percentage Save percentage is an ice hockey and lacrosse statistic that represents the percentage of shots on goal a goaltender stops... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000–01 | 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-I 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... |
4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 190 | 6 | 0 | 1.90 | .937 |
| 2001–02 | Jokerit | SM-I | 23 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 1242 | 37 | 4 | 1.79 | .941 |
| 2002–03 | Jokerit | SM-I | 45 | 23 | 14 | 6 | 2634 | 87 | 5 | 1.98 | .928 |
| 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.... |
Chicago Wolves Chicago Wolves The Chicago Wolves are a professional hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL. The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois... |
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... |
39 | 20 | 14 | 2 | 2192 | 88 | 3 | 2.41 | .926 |
| 2003–04 | Atlanta Thrashers Atlanta Thrashers The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season... |
NHL National 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... |
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 239 | 5 | 1 | 1.25 | .953 |
| 2004–05 2004–05 AHL season The 2004–05 AHL season was the 69th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-eight teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Rochester Americans finished first overall in the regular season... |
Chicago Wolves | AHL | 57 | 38 | 17 | 2 | 3378 | 128 | 5 | 2.27 | .929 |
| 2005–06 | Atlanta Thrashers | NHL | 38 | 20 | 15 | 0 | 2166 | 106 | 2 | 2.94 | .906 |
| 2006–07 | Atlanta Thrashers | NHL | 68 | 34 | 24 | 9 | 3934 | 183 | 4 | 2.79 | .912 |
| 2007–08 | Atlanta Thrashers | NHL | 48 | 17 | 22 | 5 | 2707 | 131 | 4 | 2.90 | .916 |
| 2007–08 2007–08 AHL season The 2007–08 AHL season is the 72nd season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Chicago Wolves won their second Calder Cup, defeating the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the Calder Cup Final.-Team changes:... |
Chicago Wolves | AHL | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 124 | 4 | 0 | 1.93 | .934 |
| 2008–09 2008–09 NHL season The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the... |
Atlanta Thrashers | NHL | 46 | 19 | 22 | 3 | 2624 | 134 | 3 | 3.06 | .911 |
| 2009–10 2009–10 AHL season The 2009–10 AHL season was the 74th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 regular-season games each from October 2 to April 11... |
Chicago Wolves | AHL | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 247 | 11 | 0 | 2.67 | .899 |
| 2009–10 2009–10 NHL season The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010... |
Dallas Stars Dallas Stars The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The... |
NHL | 12 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 663 | 31 | 0 | 2.81 | .911 |
| 2010–11 2010–11 NHL season The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech... |
Dallas Stars | NHL | 69 | 34 | 24 | 0 | 4119 | 175 | 3 | 2.55 | .914 |
| SM-I totals | 72 | 39 | 20 | 8 | 4065 | 130 | 9 | 1.92 | .933 | ||
| NHL totals | 285 | 134 | 111 | 28 | 16453 | 765 | 17 | 2.79 | .913 | ||
Playoffs
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001–02 | Jokerit | SM-I | 11 | 8 | 2 | 623 | 18 | 3 | 1.73 | .940 |
| 2002–03 | Jokerit | SM-I | 10 | 6 | 4 | 626 | 17 | 2 | 1.63 | .941 |
| 2003–04 2004 Calder Cup Playoffs The 2004 Calder Cup Playoffs of the American Hockey League began on April 14, 2004. Twenty teams, the top five from each division, qualified for the playoffs. The fourth- and fifth-placed teams in each division played best-of-3 series in the qualifying round... |
Chicago Wolves | AHL | 10 | 6 | 4 | 663 | 23 | 1 | 2.08 | .942 |
| 2004–05 2005 Calder Cup Playoffs The 2005 Calder Cup Playoffs of the American Hockey League began on April 19, 2005. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-7 series for division semifinals, finals and conference finals. The conference champions played a best-of-7 series for the Calder Cup... |
Chicago Wolves | AHL | 16 | 10 | 6 | 983 | 28 | 2 | 1.71 | .939 |
| 2006–07 2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs The 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 11, 2007. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-7 series for conference quarterfinals, semifinals and championships, and then the conference champions played a best-of-7 series for the... |
Atlanta Thrashers | NHL | 2 | 0 | 2 | 118 | 11 | 0 | 5.59 | .849 |
| SM-I totals | 21 | 14 | 6 | 1249 | 35 | 5 | 1.68 | .941 | ||
| NHL totals | 2 | 0 | 2 | 118 | 11 | 0 | 5.59 | .849 | ||
Awards
- Urpo Ylönen trophyUrpo Ylönen trophyThe Urpo Ylönen trophy is an ice hockey award given by the Finnish SM-liiga to the best goalie of the season.Trophy winners:1977-78: Antero Kivelä 1978-79: Jorma Valtonen 1979-80: Jorma Valtonen 1980-81: Hannu Kamppuri...
for best SM-liiga goaltender — 2002 and 2003 - Jari Kurri trophyJari Kurri trophyThe Jari Kurri trophy is an ice hockey trophy awarded by the Finnish SM-liiga to the best player in the SM-liiga playoffs. The trophy is named after Jari Kurri....
for best player during the playoffs — 2002 - Sm-liigaSM-liigaThe 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...
champion 2002 - 2004 World Cup of Hockey2004 World Cup of HockeyThe 2004 World Cup of Hockey was an international ice hockey tournament. It was the second installment of the National Hockey League -sanctioned competition eight years after the inaugural 1996 World Cup of Hockey. It was held from August 30 to September 14, 2004, and took place in various venues...
(runner-up) - Silver Medal in the 2007 IIHF World Championship2007 IIHF World ChampionshipThe 2007 IIHF World Championship were held between April 27 and May 13, 2007 in Moscow, Russia. It was the 71st annual world championship event run by the International Ice Hockey Federation...
- Best Goalkeeper in the 2007 IIHF World Championship2007 IIHF World ChampionshipThe 2007 IIHF World Championship were held between April 27 and May 13, 2007 in Moscow, Russia. It was the 71st annual world championship event run by the International Ice Hockey Federation...
Records
- Atlanta Thrashers franchise leader for games played by a goaltender (204).
- Atlanta Thrashers franchise leader for victories (94).
- Atlanta Thrashers franchise leader shutouts (14).
- Atlanta Thrashers franchise leader for games played by a goaltender in a single season (68).
- Atlanta Thrashers franchise leader for saves in a single season (1,892).
- Atlanta Thrashers franchise leader for shutouts in a single season (4).
- Atlanta Thrashers franchise leader for starts in a single season (66).
- Atlanta Thrashers franchise leader for minutes played in a single season (3,934).
Mask history
- While playing for the AHL's Chicago WolvesChicago WolvesThe Chicago Wolves are a professional hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL. The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois...
, the Hamburglar was featured on his skullcapSkullcapSkullcap or skull cap may refer to:* Calvaria , in anatomy, the top part of the skull* Headgear:** A Kippah or yarmulke, a small cloth skullcap worn by Orthodox Jewish men and some Jewish women...
, an homage to the nickname he received shortly after arriving from Finland, and becoming enamoured with McDonald'sMcDonald'sMcDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
hamburgerHamburgerA hamburger is a sandwich consisting of a cooked patty of ground meat usually placed inside a sliced bread roll...
s. - He had a depiction of rapper Lil JonLil JonJonathan Mortimer Smith , better known by his stage name Lil Jon, is an American rapper, music producer, entrepreneur, and occasional disc jockey who was a member of the group Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz. Lil Jon formed the group in 1997, and the group released several albums between then and 2004...
, who is an avid Thrashers fan, on his skullcap. - In the past, Lehtonen has worn helmets featuring characters YunaYuna (Final Fantasy)is a player character in the Final Fantasy series. She is the female protagonist of Final Fantasy X and the main protagonist of the sequel Final Fantasy X-2. She was designed by Tetsuya Nomura and voiced by Hedy Burress and Mayuko Aoki in the English and Japanese versions, respectively...
and RikkuRikkuis a player character in the Final Fantasy series, and a protagonist in both Final Fantasy X and X-2.-Concept and creation:Rikku was designed by Tetsuya Nomura, who also designed other characters from Final Fantasy X and X-2. She is voiced by Tara Strong and Marika Matsumoto in the English and...
from the video game Final Fantasy X-2Final Fantasy X-2is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square for Sony's PlayStation 2. It was released in 2003 and is the sequel to the best-selling 2001 game Final Fantasy X...
, as well as Uma ThurmanUma ThurmanUma Karuna Thurman is an American actress and model. She has performed in leading roles in a variety of films, ranging from romantic comedies and dramas to science fiction and action movies. Among her best-known roles are those in the Quentin Tarantino films Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill...
and Lucy LiuLucy LiuLucy Alexis Liu is an American actress and film producer. She became known for playing the role of the vicious and ill-mannered Ling Woo in the television series Ally McBeal , and has also appeared in several Hollywood films including Charlie's Angels, Chicago, Kill Bill, and Kung Fu Panda.-Early...
's characters from Kill BillKill BillKill Bill Volume 1 is a 2003 action thriller film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It is the first of two volumes that were theatrically released several months apart, the second volume being Kill Bill Volume 2....
. Lehtonen, however, is not a video game fanatic; "I've never played it, but I saw a couple of commercials about the game and just thought it looked awesome." - He also had a mask made featuring Optimus PrimeOptimus PrimeOptimus Prime is a fictional character from the Transformers franchise. Prime is the leader of the autobots, a faction of transforming robots from the planet Cybertron. The autobots are constantly waging war against a rival faction of transforming robots called Decepticons...
from Transformers, which was never worn in a game, only in pre-game warm ups. - He also wore a mask that showed a depiction of Heath LedgerHeath LedgerHeath Andrew Ledger was an Australian television and film actor. After performing roles in Australian television and film during the 1990s, Ledger moved to the United States in 1998 to develop his film career...
's Joker character from The Dark KnightThe Dark Knight (film)The Dark Knight is a 2008 superhero film directed, produced and co-written by Christopher Nolan. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is part of Nolan's Batman film series and a sequel to 2005's Batman Begins...
, with a stylized ATL featured on the other side. - His first mask for the Dallas Stars depicted Clint Eastwood's character from the movie "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly."
- His second mask for the Dallas Stars features Chuck NorrisChuck NorrisCarlos Ray "Chuck" Norris is an American martial artist and actor. After serving in the United States Air Force, he began his rise to fame as a martial artist and has since founded his own school, Chun Kuk Do...
. - His current mask for the Dallas Stars features characters and scenes from the movie "TombstoneTombstone (film)Tombstone is a 1993 American action film set in the Old West directed by George P. Cosmatos, along with uncredited directorial efforts by actor Kurt Russell and writer Kevin Jarre. The storyline was conceived from a screenplay written by Jarre....
."
Personal
On July 2, 2011, Kari married long time girlfriend Abbe Schutter in a private ceremony at the Club at Hammock Beach in Palm Coast, FL. Kari met Abbe while playing in Atlanta.External links
- Kari Lehtonen on nhlfinns.com