Karalahti Is Finally Coming to America

Finnish defenseman Jere Karalahti was granted a visa Friday in Helsinki and plans to report to the Kings late Tuesday or Wednesday.

What happens then is up to him and Kings’ officials.

“His coming to this country and his getting into the lineup are two very different things,” King Coach Andy Murray said. “He’s behind the 8-ball because he’s missed training camp and so many games. We have players who have gone through camp and know our system. He doesn’t know our system.”

Karalahti was held up for two months by INS officials because of his earlier conviction for drug possession. He has gone through rehabilitation and passed drug tests while playing with Finland’s national team the last two years.

He is playing with the Finns this weekend in an international tournament in Helsinki.

Murray, himself a veteran of international hockey while coaching the Canadian national team, has seen Karalahti play.

“A big shot,” he says. “He has a very big shot. He’s not an elegant skater, but he can skate. He plays with an ‘edge’ for a European player.”

Plans are to keep him with the Kings for an evaluation period. After that, he can either stay with the team or be sent to Long Beach for seasoning.

The Kings already have seven defensemen and generally skate only six. Jaroslav Modry is generally considered the extra defenseman. He has been scratched in 16 of 18 games.

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Modry played with Long Beach on Friday night and was joined by King teammate Jason Blake.

Both have been recent scratches, and both will rejoin the Kings for practice today and for a game Sunday at Phoenix.

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With 24 points in 18 games, the Kings are off to their best start in two years, since the playoff season of 1997-98. It took them 36 games and until Dec. 30 to get to 24 points last season.