Petri Skriko Petri Skriko ( born March 12 , 1962 in Lappeenranta , Finland ) is a retired Finnish professional ice hockey player , best remembered for his seasons starring in the NHL for the Vancouver Canucks in the late 1980s . He is currently a scout for the Washington Capitals . Playing career . Skriko was a teenage phenom in Finland for his hometown club SaiPa Lappeenranta as he emerged as a star at the age of 18 and was named the SM - Liiga Rookie of the Year in 1981 . That summer , he was drafted into the NHL by the Vancouver Canucks as the 157th pick in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft . In ensuing seasons , his stock continued to rise as he developed into one of the top players in Finland . He dominated the 1982 World Junior Championships - earning top forward honours with 15 points in 7 games - and turned in stellar performances at the 1983 World Championships and the 1984 Olympics . In 1983 – 84 , he was named to the SM - Liiga All - star team . For the 1984 – 85 season , Skriko signed with the Canucks and came to North America . He enjoyed a solid rookie season , finishing with 21 goals and 35 points in 72 games , good for 8th on the team in scoring . In 1985 – 86 , Skriko emerged as a star for the Canucks , leading the team with 78 points . For the next 4 seasons , he was one of the team ' s top players and would delight Canuck fans with his speed and skill . From 1985 – 89 he recorded four consecutive 30 - goal seasons , and led the Canucks in scoring twice . In November 1986 he recorded three hat trick s in eight days , and became the first - ever Canuck named NHL Player of the Month . However , in 1989 – 90 his scoring touch mysteriously deserted him , and he slumped to just 15 goals and 48 points . After a slow start to the 1990 – 91 season , Skriko was dealt to the Boston Bruins for a draft pick . His play picked up somewhat in Boston , as he recorded 19 points in 28 games for the Bruins , and added 8 more points in the playoffs en route to the Conference Finals . In 1991 – 92 he would struggle worse than ever , and was dealt again to the Winnipeg Jets , ultimately finishing the season with just 3 goals in 24 games . He signed with the San Jose Sharks for 1992 – 93 , but was released two months into the season and returned to Europe . After a brief stint back in the SM - Liiga , Skriko moved to the Danish league with Herning IK in 1993 . He would be one of the best players ever to play in Denmark , helping his team to four championships and earning two Player of the Year honours . He would retire in 1999 , but continue on as the team ' s head coach , winning another title in that capacity in 2001 . He would then return to Finland to coach SaiPa for three seasons . In 9 seasons in the NHL , Skriko recorded 183 goals and 222 assists for 405 points in 541 games , along with 246 penalty minutes . Including his time in Europe , he would spend 20 seasons as a pro , recording over 1200 points in 1000 + games . International career . Skriko is one of the most decorated players in Finnish international hockey history . He would help Team Finland to a Silver medal at the 1981 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships , and a Bronze at the 1982 World Juniors , where he was named the tournament ' s top forward . He represented Finland at the 1984 Winter Olympics - again leading the team in scoring - and the 1992 Winter Olympics . He would also play in the 1983 , 1985 , and 1987 World Championships , and the 1987 and 1991 Canada Cup s . Altogether , he appeared in 55 senior international games for Finland , recording 17 goals and 33 points .