Jani Rita

Jani Rita (born July 25, 1981 in Helsinki, Finland) is a professional ice hockey winger playing for Jokerit Helsinki of the SM-Liiga in Finland.
==Playing career==
Despite limited NHL experience, Rita has played extensively in the American Hockey League and in the SM-liiga in his native Finland. Rita started his hockeycareer in a youth team of EKS (Espoon Kiekkoseura). He played his first seasons of pro hockey for Jokerit, Helsinki, and was drafted 13th overall in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft by the Edmonton Oilers.
Rita played for HPK in the SM-liiga during the 2004–05 NHL lockout, winning the bronze medal. That season he was awarded the Raimo Kilpiö trophy, and led the league in scoring during the playoffs. He also represented Finland at the 2005 World Hockey Championship, earning one assist. He had signed with Jokerit for the 2005–06 season with a contractual clause enabling him to return to the NHL. When the Oilers offered him a one-year contract in August 2005, Rita signed on to return to North America.
Although once considered a premier prospect at the NHL level, Rita's slow development showed cause for concern to Oilers management. On January 26, 2006, Rita was traded along with Cory Cross, to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Dick Tärnström. He finished the season with just 10 points in 51 games.
It was announced on 2 May 2006 that Rita was to depart Pittsburgh to join Jokerit on a one-year contract. He was the best goal scorer of SM-liiga in 2006–2007 season.
==Awards==
* Raimo Kilpiö trophy for gentleman player - 2005
* Aarne Honkavaara trophy for best goal scorer - 2007
==Career statistics==
  	  	  	 	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	 	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	
Season 	Team 	League 	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM 	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM 	
1998–99 	Jokerit 	SM-liiga 	 	41 	3 	2 	5 	39 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	
1999–00 	Jokerit 	SM-liiga 	 	49 	6 	3 	9 	10 	 	11 	1 	0 	1 	0 	
2000–01 	Jokerit 	SM-liiga 	 	50 	5 	10 	15 	18 	 	5 	0 	0 	0 	2 	
2001–02 	Hamilton Bulldogs 	AHL 	 	76 	25 	17 	42 	32 	 	15 	8 	4 	12 	0 	
2001–02 	Edmonton Oilers 	NHL 	 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	
2002–03 	Hamilton Bulldogs 	AHL 	 	64 	21 	27 	48 	18 	 	23 	3 	4 	7 	2 	
2002–03 	Edmonton Oilers 	NHL 	 	12 	3 	1 	4 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	
2003–04 	Toronto Roadrunners	AHL 	 	64 	17 	24 	41 	18 	 	1 	1 	0 	1 	0 	
2003–04 	Edmonton Oilers 	NHL 	 	2 	0 	0 	0 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	
2004–05 	HPK 	SM-liiga 	 	56 	21 	18 	39 	12 	 	10 	7 	4 	11 	4 	
2005–06 	Edmonton Oilers 	NHL 	 	21 	3 	0 	3 	4 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	
2005–06 	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL 	 	30 	3 	4 	7 	6 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	
2006–07 	Jokerit 	SM-liiga 	 	56 	32 	20 	52 	28 	 	10 	6 	1 	7 	2 	
2007–08 	Jokerit 	SM-liiga 	 	37 	10 	10 	20 	16 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	
2008–09 	Jokerit 	SM-liiga 	 	58 	14 	16 	30 	12 	 	5 	0 	2 	2 	0 	
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals	 	65 	9 	5 	14 	10 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==External links==
* Jani Rita on nhlfinns.com
* Prospect Report: Jani Rita
* 
* 
Category:Born in 1981
Category:Edmonton Oilers players
Category:Edmonton Oilers draft picks
Category:Finnish ice hockey players
Category:Hamilton Bulldogs players
Category:HPK Hämeenlinna players
Category:Jokerit Helsinki players
Category:National Hockey League first round draft picks
Category:Pittsburgh Penguins players
Category:Toronto Roadrunners players
{Wikipedia}}