"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.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.