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| SW# | POS | HEIGHT | WEIGHT | BORN | BIRTHPLACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | RW | 5.11 | 179 lbs. | 1974/06/13 | MOSCOW,RUS |
A Smurf-sized finesse player, Bure was shipped to the Calgary Flames on February 1, 1998 along with future considerations in a trade that sent Jonas Hoglund and Zarley Zalapski to the Montreal Canadiens.
Three years younger than brother Pavel (Vancouver), Valeri had a much different hockey upbringing than his sibling. After a brief fling with Moscow's Red Army in 1990-91, Valeri and his parents defected to Vancouver en masse where he joined the Western Hockey League with thoughts that he'd get better NHL training. After getting his feet wet with Spokane, Bure exploded for 68 goals and 147 points in 1992-93 and followed that campaign with a 102-point effort the following year. The Canadiens were convinced of his worth and made him a second round draft pick.
Bure became a full-time NHLer with the Canadiens in 1995-96 and recorded 42 points as a rookie, a mark which is still his best NHL offensive output.
For more on Valeri Bure, check out Hockey PLUS