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Today's paper. Last Updated: 05/29/2012

Gretzky, Kurri to Team Again on Stars' European Tour

HELSINKI, Finland -- Wayne Gretzky is bringing some friends to visit the European hockey scene soon, but from the ranks of the first opponent he gets a linemate he knows best of all -- Finland's Jari Kurri.


"We would love him to play for us, if it would not upset the Helsinki team," Gretzky said Thursday in a telephone interview from Los Angeles.


On Dec. 3, the Gretzky All-Stars start a European tour with a game in Helsinki against Kurri's team, Jokerit, the reigning Finnish champion.


Jokerit owner Harry Harkimo gave prompt permission for the switch.


Gretzky, Kurri and Mark Messier were the high-profile stars for the Edmonton Oilers Stanley Cup-winning teams of the last decade, and the duo of Gretzky and Kurri is the highest-scoring in NHL history. Messier, meanwhile, moved to New York, winning the Stanley Cup last spring as captain of the Rangers.


The Gretzky stars are to play six games in Scandinavia -- unless the NHL labor conflict is resolved.


"My loyalty is torn, but it is safe to say there will be absolutely no agreement reached before Dec. 3," Gretzky said.


The Gretzky team meets local club Ilves at Tampere on Dec. 4, then visits Oslo, Norway and Goteborg, Stockholm and Malmo in Sweden.


Gretzky, the NHL's career scoring leader, said he put together the all-star roster by calling NHL players.


Paul Coffey, Kelly Hrudey, Grant Fuhr, Brett Hull, Steve Yzerman, Sergei Fedorov, Brian Leetch, Al MacInnis and Doug Gilmour are among the NHL stars Gretzky has tapped for the tour.




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