Kurri Fights a Sinking Feeling

He’s a hero in Finland, a legend in Edmonton and L.A., but Jari Kurri is feeling out of sorts here in suburbia.

Kurri once roamed the ice with Wayne Gretzky, tormenting opposing defensemen and goaltenders.

Now he’s teamed on a line with Garry Valk and Alex Hicks.

Once it was considered a no-brainer that Kurri and his teammates would contend for the Stanley Cup each spring. At the very least his teams figured to be a factor in the playoffs.

Now he’s playing for a last-place team that has never qualified for the playoffs in its four-season history.

Maybe it’s the eggplant- and jade-colored jerseys.

Or that overstuffed duck mascot dropping from the rafters.

Whatever the reason, Kurri has had a difficult start in his first season with the Mighty Awful Ducks (2-10-3).

“I can’t be too happy,” Kurri said. “I haven’t gotten anything done. I’m really down.”

Three goals, five assists and a plus-minus rating of minus eight in fifteen games; a quick scan of the stat sheet shows Kurri is off to a better start than many other Ducks.

But Kurri, 36, skates to higher standards.

After all, he’s almost a slam dunk to be elected to the Hall of Fame when his playing days are done.

There’s nothing wrong with three goals and five assists if you’re just starting out in the NHL, as many Ducks are.

Or if you’ve played only in a checker’s role before joining the Ducks, as many have.

Kurri is not satisfied, however.

Not when he’s within 14 goals of 600 in his brilliant 16-year career.

Not when he has won five Stanley Cups.

Not when he’s the highest-scoring European-born player in NHL history.

Not when he’s considered the greatest Finnish player in history, a role model for younger stars such as the Ducks’ Teemu Selanne and Montreal’s Saku Koivu.

But now he’s a Duck, signed as a free agent during the off-season, and that takes a little getting used to.

“I’ve got to get back on track and have some fun out there,” Kurri said.

Tonight, facing one of his old teams--the Kings--Kurri hopes to begin a great turnaround.

The memories will not be as strong as those that wash over Kurri each time he returns to Edmonton.

After all, that’s where he helped the Oilers win five Stanley Cups between 1984 and 1990.

But there will be added emotion and motivation when Kurri plays against the Kings for the first time as a Duck.

“Any time when you’re facing your old team there’s a little different feeling,” Kurri said. “You are happier when you win.

“Emotionally, you have to put that aside. It’s a big game for us. That’s a team we have to beat.”

Are the Ducks already in a must-win situation?

Yes, said Warren Rychel, a teammate of Kurri’s with the Kings.

“From our standpoint, it’s March already,” Rychel said.

Rychel understands Kurri’s frustration. But he also said Kurri has been counted on to give the Ducks more than just goals and assists.

“He’s one of the greatest players who’s ever played,” Rychel said. “People don’t see the whole package. He’s done some great things for us. He’s been a great addition.”

Certainly, the coaching staff offers no complaints with Kurri’s performance thus far.

“I didn’t think Jari Kurri would come in and score 50 goals,” Coach Ron Wilson said.

The Ducks hoped Kurri, at this stage of his career, would fit the bill as an experienced, skilled, two-way player to play with Selanne and Paul Kariya.

Instead, Kurri has dropped to the Ducks’ second line, playing tonight on left wing with Valk on right wing and Hicks at center. Kurri also has played on a potent line with Valk and Roman Oksiuta in recent games.

“When he plays with the other two guys [Kariya and Selanne], he feels more pressure to make plays,” Wilson said. “It’s good for Jari not to worry about rushing the puck up to Paul and Teemu.”

Wilson broke up his dream line midway through the season’s second game and hasn’t put them together again except in power-play situations.

“That’s what happens when you’re not playing well,” Kurri said, shrugging.

Assistant coach Tim Army said Kurri is probably being too hard on himself. Army points out two events in recent weeks that indicate Kurri has been a valuable player despite a goal-scoring slump that dates to Oct. 10.

No. 1, Kurri was the first to come to the aid of Valeri Karpov after Steven Rice of Hartford delivered a hard open-ice check that gave Karpov a concussion Oct. 24.

“Jari was yelling at Rice,” Army said. “He’s a quiet leader, but he senses a situation when he has to step forward.”

No. 2, Kurri pinched in along the boards twice during a power play against Colorado last Sunday, keeping the puck alive and in the Ducks’ control.

They didn’t score, but it helped their confidence during a last-minute power play that produced the game-tying goal with 1.4 seconds left in regulation.

Plus, Army believes Kurri has helped Hicks, Oksiuta and Valk become better players simply by being on the ice with them.

“When he says something, they listen because he’s a legend,” Army said. “He’s been a good fit for our team. If you look only at the goals and assists, you’re not seeing the whole picture.

“He might be frustrated. He might want to produce more offensively. But we’re happy with him.”