Leht me tell ya...
Stars most famous Finn even better than you know
It’s an off day practice at the old building in Edmonton in the playoffs between games 3 & 4. 2000 is the year - I think. One of those series with the Oilers in those years. Anyway.
Jere’s linemates Mike Modano and Brett Hull are screwing around on the ice. Stars Coach Ken Hitchcock gets pissed about something and kicks the whole line off the ice. I’m in the stands with the media and traveling party. I watch them go down the runway into the room. I follow a few minutes later.
Mo & Hullie are already showered. Brushing their hair in the mirror. Joking around. On the way out the door Hullie, with the smirk and twinkle in his eye turns back to the room and says -
“Hey Jari (he always called him Jari and not Jere) - don’t worry about it - if it wasn’t for our line we wouldn’t be here.”
But Jere doesn’t say a word.
He’s still in his gear. Sitting in his stall. Head down. He’s crushed. Nobody ever kicked Jere Lehtinen off the ice. The truth is (of course…) Hitch kicked Mo and Hullie off the ice. Leht’s was collateral damage.
“What did I do?” he asks me.
“Jere - Jere - c’mon. You know what happened here. It ain’t you.
He was unmoved. He stayed there. Shaking his head. He had real trouble coming to terms with it.
“Wasn’t I working hard enough…”. “I always work even in practice.”
Of course you do. It’s not you.
That’s Jere.
The best way for me to talk about my friend - my dear friend Jere is with anecdotes. Quick hits. So let’s go.
June 20, 1999 - on the Charter from Buffalo with the Cup.
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