Overview

Valeri Bure (born 1974, Moscow) is a retired professional ice hockey forward best known for his career in the NHL. A member of a prominent Russian sporting family, he played as a right wing and was noted for offensive skill, puck handling and playmaking during the 1990s and early 2000s.

Playing career

Bure moved to North America as a young player and developed in junior hockey before entering the professional ranks. He was selected early in the 1990s NHL draft and went on to spend several seasons with multiple clubs. His club career included stops with teams such as:

Style and achievements

Valeri was valued for a quick, creative approach to the offensive zone and an ability to finish scoring chances. While neither the most famous nor the longest-tenured member of his family to play professional hockey, he compiled solid scoring totals across his NHL seasons and contributed reliably on scoring lines.

International play and background

Born in Russia, Bure represented his country in international competitions on occasion and belonged to a sporting household: his brother gained wide renown in the league, and his father was an Olympic swimmer. This background shaped his early training and exposure to elite sport.

Later life and legacy

Persistent injuries limited his later seasons and he retired in the mid-2000s, after which he shifted focus toward family life and business activities outside hockey. Today Valeri is remembered as part of the wave of skilled Russian forwards who helped broaden the NHL’s international talent base and as a member of one of hockey’s better-known families.