Jyrki Lumme was a left-shot defenseman from Tampere, Finland. Lumme grew up playing junior hockey in Tampere and eventually joined Ilves Tampere in the Finnish Elite League in 1985-86 at 19-years old. In Lumme’s first season of pro-hockey, he had 1-goal and 5-points in 31-games. Lumme impressed enough to be drafted 57th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 1986.
Lumme chose to stay in Finland after being drafted. He continued to play for Ilves while also representing Finland in the World Junior Championship. Finland finished 6th in the tournament, but Lumme impressed with 1-goal and 5-points in 7-games. With Ilves, Lumme played in 43-games and scored 12-goals and 24-points. The 1987-88 season was Lumme’s last with Ilves before moving to North America. Lumme increased his point total to 30-points and helped Ilves finish 1st in the league.
Lumme signed a two-year contract with the Canadiens in the summer of 1988. His first North American season was split between playing in Montreal and with their minor affiliate Sherbrooke Candadiens. Interestingly, Lumme became the first Finnish player to ever play for the Canadiens. Lumme finished his rookie season with just 4-points in 21-games. He also missed part of his rookie season with a knee injury.
Lumme earned a full-time spot with the Habs the following season. Through 54-games with Montreal, Lumme had 1-goal and 20-points. On March 6, 1990, Lumme was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a 2nd round pick in the 1991 draft. Lumme fit in with Vancouver immediately producing 10-points in the final 11-games of the season. In his first full season with the Canucks, Lumme set a career-high with 32-points and Vancouver qualified for the playoffs. Lumme had 2-goals and 5-points in 6-games before being eliminated by the LA Kings in the first round.
Lumme continued to progress and produced back-to-back 44-point seasons in 1992 & 1993. Lumme was awarded the team’s best defenseman in 1992 and later again in ‘94, ‘96, and ‘97. Lumme set a new career-high in 1993-94 when he had 13-goals and 55-points in 83-games. Lumme had 13-points in 24-playoff games during Vancouver’s run to the Cup Final.
Following the lockout season in 1995, Lumme played three more seasons with the Canucks accumulating 119-points in 220-games. Lumme left Vancouver as an unrestricted free agent and signed with the Phoenix Coyotes in the 1998 off-season. When Lumme left Vancouver, he held the franchise record for goals by a defenseman with 83, and he tied Dennis Kearns in points with 321.
Lumme played three seasons in Arizona and was consistently one of the team’s best defenders along with fellow countryman Teppo Numminen. In the summer of 2001, Lumme was traded to the Dallas Stars in exchange for Tyler Bouck. Lumme took a short leave of absence in 2001 to visit family in Finland that were too hesitant to fly to North America because of the attacks on 9/11. Lumme didn’t have the greatest time in Dallas as he consistently clashed with Head Coach Ken Hitchcock. Dallas then waived Lumme and he was later traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Pat Quinn was GM of the Leafs at the time and held Lumme in high regard and vouched for him as a fit for the Leafs.
Lumme and the Leafs fell short in the 2002 and 2003 playoffs. In the summer of 2003, the Leafs chose to have the final year of Lumme’s deal bought out. After a two-year hiatus, Lumme returned to Finland and played two additional seasons with Ilves before officially retiring in 2007.
Lumme played 985-games in his NHL Career and won Olympic Silver and Bronze as well as a World Championship Bronze while playing 71-games for Finland. Lumme is now a part-owner of his hometown club, Ilves. Lumme is also a part of the NHLPA’s Goals & Dreams Program which donates hockey equipment to children of low-income families across the globe.
One of my favourite Canucks all time!!🫡
I used to love watching Lumme in the offensive zone. Shifty, did his dekes…was a ton of fun to watch. One of my first players that had me really excited to watch Canucks games.
The signature Lumme move:
Slow motion drives to the net, skates a mile apart, weaving and deeking his way in for a shot or pass. I’ve never seen any other player do it as slowly as he did it and have good results 9 out 10 times.
Cliff Ronning talking about Jyrki and his skating style from a couple of years ago: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy6YqMSKysQ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy6YqMSKysQ)
Jerkiiii!
He had a killer backhand shot.
His goal in OT against DET Red Wings in 1992 is still one of my all-time favourites… I actually got to meet him briefly when I had the opportunity to watch a game from one of the boxes in Rogers and he was touring around the building say hello to the box ticket holders. He looked so surprised when I told him that goal was one of my all time favourite Canucks memories! A classy guy and a fun player to watch in the 90’s 🏒
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26. Jyrki Lumme — 579GP | 83G | 238A | 321P | 1990-1998
Jyrki Lumme was a left-shot defenseman from Tampere, Finland. Lumme grew up playing junior hockey in Tampere and eventually joined Ilves Tampere in the Finnish Elite League in 1985-86 at 19-years old. In Lumme’s first season of pro-hockey, he had 1-goal and 5-points in 31-games. Lumme impressed enough to be drafted 57th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 1986.
Lumme chose to stay in Finland after being drafted. He continued to play for Ilves while also representing Finland in the World Junior Championship. Finland finished 6th in the tournament, but Lumme impressed with 1-goal and 5-points in 7-games. With Ilves, Lumme played in 43-games and scored 12-goals and 24-points. The 1987-88 season was Lumme’s last with Ilves before moving to North America. Lumme increased his point total to 30-points and helped Ilves finish 1st in the league.
Lumme signed a two-year contract with the Canadiens in the summer of 1988. His first North American season was split between playing in Montreal and with their minor affiliate Sherbrooke Candadiens. Interestingly, Lumme became the first Finnish player to ever play for the Canadiens. Lumme finished his rookie season with just 4-points in 21-games. He also missed part of his rookie season with a knee injury.
Lumme earned a full-time spot with the Habs the following season. Through 54-games with Montreal, Lumme had 1-goal and 20-points. On March 6, 1990, Lumme was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a 2nd round pick in the 1991 draft. Lumme fit in with Vancouver immediately producing 10-points in the final 11-games of the season. In his first full season with the Canucks, Lumme set a career-high with 32-points and Vancouver qualified for the playoffs. Lumme had 2-goals and 5-points in 6-games before being eliminated by the LA Kings in the first round.
Lumme continued to progress and produced back-to-back 44-point seasons in 1992 & 1993. Lumme was awarded the team’s best defenseman in 1992 and later again in ‘94, ‘96, and ‘97. Lumme set a new career-high in 1993-94 when he had 13-goals and 55-points in 83-games. Lumme had 13-points in 24-playoff games during Vancouver’s run to the Cup Final.
Following the lockout season in 1995, Lumme played three more seasons with the Canucks accumulating 119-points in 220-games. Lumme left Vancouver as an unrestricted free agent and signed with the Phoenix Coyotes in the 1998 off-season. When Lumme left Vancouver, he held the franchise record for goals by a defenseman with 83, and he tied Dennis Kearns in points with 321.
Lumme played three seasons in Arizona and was consistently one of the team’s best defenders along with fellow countryman Teppo Numminen. In the summer of 2001, Lumme was traded to the Dallas Stars in exchange for Tyler Bouck. Lumme took a short leave of absence in 2001 to visit family in Finland that were too hesitant to fly to North America because of the attacks on 9/11. Lumme didn’t have the greatest time in Dallas as he consistently clashed with Head Coach Ken Hitchcock. Dallas then waived Lumme and he was later traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Pat Quinn was GM of the Leafs at the time and held Lumme in high regard and vouched for him as a fit for the Leafs.
Lumme and the Leafs fell short in the 2002 and 2003 playoffs. In the summer of 2003, the Leafs chose to have the final year of Lumme’s deal bought out. After a two-year hiatus, Lumme returned to Finland and played two additional seasons with Ilves before officially retiring in 2007.
Lumme played 985-games in his NHL Career and won Olympic Silver and Bronze as well as a World Championship Bronze while playing 71-games for Finland. Lumme is now a part-owner of his hometown club, Ilves. Lumme is also a part of the NHLPA’s Goals & Dreams Program which donates hockey equipment to children of low-income families across the globe.
One of my favourite Canucks all time!!🫡
I used to love watching Lumme in the offensive zone. Shifty, did his dekes…was a ton of fun to watch. One of my first players that had me really excited to watch Canucks games.
The signature Lumme move:
Slow motion drives to the net, skates a mile apart, weaving and deeking his way in for a shot or pass. I’ve never seen any other player do it as slowly as he did it and have good results 9 out 10 times.
Cliff Ronning talking about Jyrki and his skating style from a couple of years ago: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy6YqMSKysQ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy6YqMSKysQ)
Jerkiiii!
He had a killer backhand shot.
His goal in OT against DET Red Wings in 1992 is still one of my all-time favourites… I actually got to meet him briefly when I had the opportunity to watch a game from one of the boxes in Rogers and he was touring around the building say hello to the box ticket holders. He looked so surprised when I told him that goal was one of my all time favourite Canucks memories! A classy guy and a fun player to watch in the 90’s 🏒