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Counting the Stars - #36 Jussi Jokinen

Every day this summer (well almost every day anyway...) Defending Big D will count down the greatest players in franchise history (both Dallas and Minnesota), based on the sweater number they wore. Keep coming back for a look at who's the best in Stars history. For a recap on the list so far, click here.

Finally we have an easy pick at a number who also happened to put up very good numbers in his time with the Stars.  While we all loved "The Missing" Link Gaetz when he was with the North Stars, his fists are no match for...

#36 Jussi Jokinen

Jussi was a 6th round pick (192nd overall) of the Stars in the 2001 entry draft, and while he was regarded as one of the Stars upper level prospects while he posted good numbers playing with Karpat in the Finnish SM-liiga, no one ever expected him to make such an impact with the Stars in his rookie season of 05-06 where he had 17 goals, 55 points in 81 games played.  He was the third Dallas Star in as many seasons to be named as a participant of the NHL Young-Stars game that took place that season in Atlanta.

Of course what really made Jussi stand out from all others in his rookie year was his amazing record in the shootout and his ability in the clutch, something all fans learned about half way into the season with a jaw dropping goal that no hockey fan won't soon forget...


 

Following the jump we finish up his time with Dallas and relive one other very memorable Jussi moment.

Star-divide

The following season he again put up some decent numbers in a support role with 14 goals and 34 assists in a full 82 game season, but at times was a streaky player which many just chalked up to a bit of a sophomore slump.  Unfortunately his third season wasn't starting off much better either, but in mid-November Jussi did have one more memorable night for Stars fans... his four goal game against the Colorado Avalanche.


After that night though impact moments for Jussi were few and three months after that night he was part of the trade that brought Brad Richards to Dallas.  He finished his two and a half seasons in Dallas with 215 games played, 45 goals scored (five of those were game winners), 86 assists and 131 points.  He also played in nine playoff games where he scored two goals and had four points.

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Juicy Rocks

He’s my favorite former Star ever. He’s the shootout assassin.

by Brad_Richards_Rocks on Aug 4, 2009 10:24 AM CDT reply actions  

It was great seeing him finally turn it on..

This past season in the playoffs. I really would like to see him realize his full potential next season.

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by Brandon Worley on Aug 4, 2009 10:42 AM CDT via mobile reply actions  

We love him in Raleigh – I think he’s found a perfect niche with our other Finns Ruutu and Pitkanen.

Did you hear the fans changed the first line of the anthem during the playoffs?

Let's go Canes!
Hakkaa Paalle!

by hockeymomof2 on Aug 6, 2009 9:13 PM CDT up reply actions  

**sorry – managed to hit post in error

The opening line is now:

Oh say, can Jussi?

Let's go Canes!
Hakkaa Paalle!

by hockeymomof2 on Aug 6, 2009 9:15 PM CDT up reply actions  

Finally...

Is right.

Tampa bay apparently thought the same thing we thought. He was a nice shootout guy, but he refused to do the work and to get to the tough scoring areas while he was here. He finally decided to do it with Carolina and was rewarded handsomely for his efforts. I have my doubts about whether that kind of play from him is sustainable, but I wish him the best.

They used to run that play a lot for him here on the PP, where they’d be in the neutral zone and the defense at the blue line, and then they’d try to sneak Jussi through with speed and break him free on the other side of the D. It worked every now and then, but I could never understand why they tried it as often as they did.

by Brad Gardner on Aug 4, 2009 11:47 AM CDT reply actions  

Jussi was decent

After that first season where he dominated the shoot out, he certainly faded. I wasn’t really too sad to see him go especially since were getting Richards in the deal.

The first goal in that second clip was typical Jussi until the rest of the league figured out they should probably stop him from cutting to the middle. Especially when we had a healthy Zubov ready to hit him in mid-stride. I think that 3 of the assists in the video were from Zubov (if they count the shot he took that got blocked to Jussi).

I’m just going to guess the next few for giggles:
35 – Marty Turco
34 – Ron Wilson
33 – Benoit Hogue

by whodafreak on Aug 4, 2009 1:03 PM CDT reply actions  

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