Valeri Vladimirovich "Val" Bure (; rus, Валерий Владимирович Буре, p=vɐˈlʲerʲɪj bʊˈrɛ; born June 13, 1974) is a Russian-American
former
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice h ...
right winger
A midfielder is an outfield position in association football.
Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...
. He played 10 seasons in the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL) for the
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
,
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
,
Florida Panthers,
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the ...
, and
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and were founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minne ...
. A second round selection of the Canadiens, 33rd overall, at the
1992 NHL Entry Draft
The 1992 NHL Entry Draft was the 30th NHL Entry Draft. It was held on June 20 at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec. A total of 264 players were drafted.
The last active player in the NHL from this draft class was Sergei Gonchar, who ret ...
, Bure appeared in one
NHL All-Star Game
The National Hockey League All-Star Game (french: Match des Étoiles de la Ligue Nationale de Hockey, links=no) is an exhibition ice hockey game that is traditionally held during the regular season of the National Hockey League (NHL), with many o ...
, in
2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from S ...
. He led the Flames in scoring with 35 goals and 75 points in
1999–2000, a season in which he and brother
Pavel
Pavel ( Bulgarian, Russian, Serbian and Macedonian: Павел, Czech, Slovene, Romanian: Pavel, Polish: Paweł, Ukrainian: Павло, Pavlo) is a male given name. It is a Slavic cognate of the name Paul (derived from the Greek Pavlos). P ...
combined to set an NHL record for goals by a pair of siblings with 93. He is also the husband of actress
Candace Cameron Bure since 1996.
Bure left his home in the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
in 1991 to play junior hockey in the
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior h ...
(WHL) for the
Spokane Chiefs. A two-time WHL all-star, he was the first Russian player in the league's history. Internationally, he represented
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...
on numerous occasions. He was a member of the bronze medal-winning squad at the
1994 World Junior Championship and was a two-time medalist at the
Winter Olympics
The Winter Olympic Games (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques d'hiver) is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympic Games, the 1924 Winter Olympics, were h ...
. Bure and the Russians won the silver medal in
1998
1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''.
Events January
* January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently s ...
and bronze in
2002.
Back and hip injuries led to Bure's retirement from hockey in 2005. He now operates
Bure Family Wines in
St. Helena, California
St. Helena ( ; Wappo language, Wappo: ''Anakotanoma'') is a city in Napa County, California, Napa County, in the Wine Country of California. Located in the North Bay (San Francisco Bay Area), North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the ...
with his wife.
Early life
Valeri Bure was born June 13, 1974, in
Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 millio ...
, Soviet Union.
He is the younger son of
Vladimir
Vladimir may refer to:
Names
* Vladimir (name) for the Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Macedonian, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak and Slovenian spellings of a Slavic name
* Uladzimir for the Belarusian version of the name
* Volodymyr for the Ukr ...
and Tatiana Bure.
Vladimir, whose family originated from
Furna
Furna (Highest Alemannic: ''Furnä'') is a Swiss village in the Prättigau and a municipality in the political district Prättigau/Davos Region in the canton of Graubünden.
History
Furna is first mentioned in 1479 as ''Furnen''.
Demographics ...
,
Switzerland, was an
Olympic swimmer who won four medals for the Soviet Union at three Olympic Games between
1968
The year was highlighted by protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide.
Events January–February
* January 5 – " Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia.
* Janu ...
and
1976
Events January
* January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force.
* January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea.
* January 11 – The 1976 ...
.
Bure's family had a noble history: his ancestors made precious watches for Russian tsars from 1815 to 1917 and as craftsmen of the imperial family, were granted noble status.
Bure was around nine years old when his parents separated.
In 1991, he joined his father and brother,
Pavel
Pavel ( Bulgarian, Russian, Serbian and Macedonian: Павел, Czech, Slovene, Romanian: Pavel, Polish: Paweł, Ukrainian: Павло, Pavlo) is a male given name. It is a Slavic cognate of the name Paul (derived from the Greek Pavlos). P ...
, in moving to North America as his elder sibling embarked on a
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL) career with the
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
. His mother arrived two months later.
They settled initially in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
where Vladimir continued to train and coach both Valeri and
Pavel
Pavel ( Bulgarian, Russian, Serbian and Macedonian: Павел, Czech, Slovene, Romanian: Pavel, Polish: Paweł, Ukrainian: Павло, Pavlo) is a male given name. It is a Slavic cognate of the name Paul (derived from the Greek Pavlos). P ...
in hockey and physical conditioning. However, by 1998 both became estranged from their father, along with his second wife and their half-sister, Katya. Neither brother has given a reason for the split.
Playing career
Junior
Bure played three games during the 1990–91 season with
HC CSKA Moscow
HC CSKA Moscow (1946–present, russian: ЦСКА Москва, Центральный Спортивный Клуб Армии, ''Central Sports Club of the Army, Moscow'') is a Russian professional ice hockey club based in Moscow. The club i ...
of the
Soviet Championship League
The Soviet Hockey Championship (russian: Чемпионат СССР по хоккею) was the highest level ice hockey league in the Soviet Union, running from 1946 to 1992. Before the 1940s the game of ice hockey was not cultivated in Russia, i ...
prior to leaving the Soviet Union.
As a 17-year-old, Bure was eligible to play
junior hockey
Junior hockey is a level of competitive ice hockey generally for players between 16 and 21 years of age. Junior hockey leagues in the United States and Canada are considered amateur (with some exceptions) and operate within regions of each cou ...
upon his arrival in North America, and joined the
Spokane Chiefs of the
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior h ...
(WHL). In doing so, he became the first Russian player in the league's history.
He joined the team one year before the
Canadian Hockey League, of which the WHL is a member, instituted an
import draft.
Bure recorded 49
points in 53 games in
1991–92 for the Chiefs, his first season in the WHL.
The
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
selected him with their second round pick, 33rd overall, at the
1992 NHL Entry Draft
The 1992 NHL Entry Draft was the 30th NHL Entry Draft. It was held on June 20 at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec. A total of 264 players were drafted.
The last active player in the NHL from this draft class was Sergei Gonchar, who ret ...
. The
NHL Central Scouting Bureau The NHL Central Scouting Services (CSS) is a department within the National Hockey League that ranks prospects for the NHL Entry Draft at specific times during the hockey season. Players are ranked based on how well they will translate to the profe ...
praised Bure as being a good skater. In its assessment, the Bureau added: "very smart around the net; good passer, playmaker. Good shot, quick release. Will take a hit to make the play. Good competitor." He returned to Spokane for the
1992–93 season where Bure led his team and finished second overall in WHL scoring with 147 points. His 68 goals that season remains a Chiefs' franchise record. He was named to the WHL's West Division First All-Star Team.
Bure attended Montreal's training camp prior to the
1993–94 season, but was again returned to his junior team.
He recorded 102 points in his final season in the WHL and was named to the Second All-Star Team.
In three seasons with Spokane, Bure recorded 298 points and stands fourth on the Chiefs' all-time scoring list.
Montreal Canadiens
Upon turning professional in
1994–95, Bure spent the majority of the season with Montreal's
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the le ...
(AHL) affiliate, the
Fredericton Canadiens
The Fredericton Canadiens, or the 'Baby Habs' were a professional ice hockey team in Fredericton, New Brunswick. The Canadiens played their home games at the Aitken Centre. They were a member of the American Hockey League from 1990 to 1999, and we ...
. He had 23 goals and 48 points in 45 games for the club.
Bure earned a recall to Montreal late in the season and made his NHL debut on February 28, 1995, against the
New York Islanders. His first goal came two weeks later, on March 15, against goaltender
Wendell Young
Wendell Edward Young (born August 1, 1963) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He is currently the general manager of the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League.
Wendell's moniker is "Ringmaster" as he is currently t ...
of the
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...
.
In 24 games with Montreal, Bure scored 3 goals and added an assist.
Playing in his brother's shadow – Pavel had become a superstar in Vancouver – Valeri struggled to live up to the expectations placed on him.
He scored 22 goals and 42 points in his first full season in Montreal,
1995–96, but scored only 14 goals the
following season.
He battled injuries that season; two concussions and a kidney injury limited him to 64 games, 13 fewer than the previous season.
At five feet, ten inches (178 cm) tall, Bure was a smaller player in the NHL. His
linemates Saku Koivu
Saku Antero Koivu (; born November 23, 1974) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). He began his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens in 1995–96 after three seasons with TPS of the ...
(five foot ten) and
Oleg Petrov (five foot nine) were similarly diminutive, and the trio were known in Montreal as the "
Smurf
''The Smurfs'' (french: Les Schtroumpfs; nl, De Smurfen) is a Belgian comic franchise centered on a fictional colony of small, blue, humanoid creatures who live in mushroom-shaped houses in the forest. ''The Smurfs'' was first created and int ...
line".
After playing 50 games for the Canadiens in
1997–98, Bure was traded. He was sent to the
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
in a February 1, 1998, deal in exchange for
Jonas Höglund and
Zarley Zalapski
Zarley Bennett Zalapski (April 22, 1968 – December 10, 2017) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played from 1987 to 2010.
Playing career
Zalapski's career started with the Fort Saskatchewan Traders of the Alberta Junior Hock ...
.
The deal was welcomed by Bure, who appreciated both the ability to play closer to his family on the west coast as well as increased opportunity by joining a young Flames team.
He recorded his first career
hat trick in one of his first games in Calgary, against the
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
.
Bure appeared in 16 games with the Flames that season and scored 38 points in 66 games combined between Montreal and Calgary.
Calgary Flames
Bure's offensive ability emerged in Calgary as he became one of the team's leading scorers.
His totals of 26 goals and 53 points in
1998–99 were both third best on the team; at one point of the season, Bure scored the game-winning goal in four consecutive victories for Calgary.
The departure of Flames' star
Theoren Fleury
Theoren Wallace "Theo" Fleury (born June 29, 1968) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, author, and motivational speaker. Fleury played for the Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, New York Rangers, and Chicago Blackhawks of the ...
added pressure on Bure to be an offensive leader in
1999–2000, and he responded to become one of the NHL's early scoring leaders. He used his speed and skating ability to good effect and was eighth in league scoring by mid-December. Bure was named to the World team at the
2000 All-Star Game where he played on a line with his brother. Pavel was named most valuable player of the game by scoring three goals, two of them assisted by Valeri, in a 9–4 victory over North America. Bure completed the season as the Flames leader in goals (35) and points (75, 14th overall in the NHL) and was the only player on the team to appear in all 82 games.
Pavel Bure scored 58 goals for the
Florida Panthers, and the brothers' combined total of 93 goals set an NHL record for a set of siblings.
Though his offensive production declined in
2000–01, Bure's 27 goals was second on the team to
Jarome Iginla
Jarome Arthur-Leigh Adekunle Tig Junior Elvis Iginla (; born July 1, 1977) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. He played over 1500 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Br ...
's 31 and he finished third with 55 points. He became embroiled in a power struggle with his coaches, first
Don Hay
Don Hay (born February 13, 1954) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and National Hockey League head coach.
As a player, Hay played shortly in the International Hockey League before becoming a three-time Memorial Cup-winning co ...
who was dismissed mid-season, and then
Greg Gilbert, as both wanted him play a more defensive-minded game. Bure struggled to adapt and at one point was held out of the Flames lineup by Gilbert in response.
Bure was rumoured to have asked for a trade out of Calgary, and the Florida Panthers (who had acquired Pavel),
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team was established in 1970, along w ...
and
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...
were among the teams who showed interest in his services. On June 24, 2001, the Flames traded Bure, along with
Jason Wiemer to the Panthers for
Rob Niedermayer
Robert Wade Niedermayer Jr. (born December 28, 1974) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 17 National Hockey League (NHL) seasons for the Florida Panthers, Calgary Flames, Anaheim Ducks, New Jersey Devils, and Buffalo Sa ...
and a second round draft pick.
Florida, St. Louis and Dallas
As his contract had expired, Bure was a
restricted free agent
A restricted free agent (RFA) is a type of free agent in the National Football League (NFL), National Hockey League (NHL), or National Basketball Association (NBA). Such players have special restrictions on the terms under which they can retain ...
. Initially unable to come to an agreement with the Panthers on salary, Bure did not sign until late September. The delay resulted in his being a brief hold-out from Florida's training camp in advance of the
2001–02 season. Injury interrupted the start of Bure's Panthers career as a knee ailment that began bothering him before the season worsened as he played the first games of the campaign. Tests revealed damage to his right knee that required
arthroscopic surgery
Arthroscopy (also called arthroscopic or keyhole surgery) is a minimally invasive surgical procedure on a joint in which an examination and sometimes treatment of damage is performed using an arthroscope, an endoscope that is inserted into the ...
to repair; Bure missed 37 games while recovering. A second knee injury ended Bure's season in mid-March as the Panthers had fallen out of playoff contention. His brother had already been traded by that point, and the Panthers were also making Valeri available in potential deals.
He appeared in only 31 games and recorded 18 points.
Bure remained with the Panthers as the
2002–03 season began, but his year was marked by an offensive slump.
He was also hampered by a hairline fracture to his wrist after
Keith Primeau
Keith David Primeau (born November 24, 1971) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Detroit Red Wings, Hartford Whalers, Carolina Hurricanes and Philadelphia Flyers.
...
slashed him during an early December game against the
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Well ...
. With only 5 goals and 26 points in 46 games for Florida,
Bure was traded on March 11, 2003, to the
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the ...
in exchange for defenceman
Mike Van Ryn
Michael Theodore Van Ryn (born May 14, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played for the St. Louis Blues, Florida Panthers, and Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League.
Playing career College and junior c ...
.
Another knee injury, this time a sprained ligament, kept Bure out of the Blues lineup for much of the remainder of the season. He recorded two assists each in five regular season and six post-season games for St. Louis.
After the season, the Blues placed Bure on
waivers, and he returned to Florida upon being claimed by the Panthers.
Free of injury for the first time in two seasons, Bure was one of the Panthers' offensive leaders in
2003–04. He reached 20 goals for the fifth time in his NHL career,
and as the season's trade deadline approached, was Florida's leading scorer with 45 points.
However, as the Panthers were out of playoff contention, they traded Bure to the
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and were founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minne ...
on March 9, 2004, in exchange for
Drew Bagnall and a draft pick.
Bure was placed on the Stars' top line with
Mike Modano
Michael Thomas Modano Jr. (; born June 7, 1970) is an American former professional ice hockey player, who played primarily for the Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars franchise. He spent the final season of his NHL career with his hometown Detroi ...
and
Jere Lehtinen
Jere Kalervo Lehtinen (born June 24, 1973) is a Finland, Finnish former professional ice hockey forward (ice hockey), forward. A winger (ice hockey), right winger, he was drafted in the third round, 88th overall, in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft by the ...
, and he recorded 7 points in 13 games to conclude the regular season. Bure added three assists in five playoff games.
An unrestricted free agent following the 2004 playoffs, Bure did not play anywhere in 2004–05 as the entire NHL season was canceled due to a
labour dispute
A labor dispute is a disagreement between an employer and employees regarding the terms of employment. This could include disputes regarding conditions of employment, fringe benefits, hours of work, tenure, and wages to be negotiated during co ...
. He signed a one-year contract with the
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...
for the
2005–06 season when the league resumed operations. He never played a regular season game for the Kings. A back injury suffered during the pre-season, initially just described as "soreness", kept him out of the regular lineup. The injury ultimately required surgery, and a second surgery on his hip caused Bure to miss the entire season. At the age of 31, he opted to retire following the surgeries.
International
Bure made his debut internationally with the
Russian national junior team at the
1994 World Junior Championship.
He was the leading scorer of the bronze medal-winning Russians with eight points in six games and was named to the tournament's All-Star Team.
That same year, Bure first played with the
senior team as he scored three goals in six contests at the
1994 World Championship in a fifth-place effort.
After appearing in one game at the inaugural
World Cup of Hockey
The World Cup of Hockey is an international ice hockey tournament. Inaugurated in 1996, it is the successor to the Canada Cup, which was held every 3 to 5 years from 1976 to 1991 and was the first international hockey championship to allow natio ...
in
1996,
Bure played in his first of two
Olympic Games
The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a vari ...
in
1998
1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''.
Events January
* January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently s ...
. The tournament marked the first time he played with his brother Pavel since they were briefly teammates with CSKA Moscow in 1991.
Valeri scored one goal in the tournament,
and Russia advanced to the gold medal game. They settled for the silver medal after being
shut out Shut Out may refer to:
* Shutout, a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring
* ''Shut Out'' (album), a 1977 album by Paul Jabara
* "Shut Out" (song), a 1977 song by Paul Jabara and Donna Summer
* "Shutout", a song by The Walk ...
by
Dominik Hašek
Dominik Hašek (, ; born January 29, 1965) is a Czech former ice hockey goaltender who mostly played for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League (NHL). Widely regarded as one of the best goaltenders of all time, Hašek also played for ...
and the
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
. Bure returned for the
2002 Salt Lake Games. He scored a goal in the tournament as Russia won the bronze medal.
Russia invited him to play at the
2004 World Cup of Hockey, but as he was without an NHL contract at the time, Bure declined to play due to a lack of proper insurance in the event of injury.
Personal life
Bure married actress
Candace Cameron
Candace Cameron Bure (; born Candace Helaine Cameron; April 6, 1976) is an American actress, producer, author and television personality. She is known for portraying D.J. Tanner on ''Full House'' and its sequel series '' Fuller House'', and a nu ...
on June 22, 1996. They were introduced by Cameron's ''
Full House
''Full House'' is an American television Situation comedy, sitcom created by Jeff Franklin for American Broadcasting Company, ABC. The show is about widowed father Danny Tanner who enlists his brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis and childhood best ...
'' castmate
Dave Coulier at a charity hockey game in 1994. The couple has three children: daughter Natasha (b. 1998) and sons Lev (b. 2000) and Maksim (b. 2002). Bure became an American citizen in December 2001.
Bure cited his family as the reason he retired from hockey in 2005. He felt he could return from his surgeries, but wanted to spend time with his children and allow his wife to return to acting.
Bure and his family are
Christians
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words '' Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ ...
.
Both Valeri and his older brother
Pavel
Pavel ( Bulgarian, Russian, Serbian and Macedonian: Павел, Czech, Slovene, Romanian: Pavel, Polish: Paweł, Ukrainian: Павло, Pavlo) is a male given name. It is a Slavic cognate of the name Paul (derived from the Greek Pavlos). P ...
became estranged from their father
Vladimir Bure
Vladimir Valeryevich Bure (russian: Владимир Валерьевич Буре, born 4 December 1950) is a Russian former freestyle swimmer and a fitness coach for the New Jersey Devils of the NHL. Bure is the father of retired NHL players ...
, along with his second wife, Julia, and their half-sister Katya, by 1998. Neither brother has explained a reason for the split.
In 2007, Bure and his wife opened a Florida restaurant called The Milk and Honey Café, but closed the business when the family moved to California.
They operate a
Napa Valley
Napa Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in Napa County in California's Wine Country. It was established by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) on January 27, 1981. Napa Valley is considered one of the premier ...
winery,
Bure Family Wines.
Bure developed an interest in wine early in his NHL career that he described as growing into a passion: "I fell in love with the behind-the-scenes work and being able to start from the vineyard and put it into a bottle. It's an amazing process."
Bure modified the Russian imperial seal his great-grandfather stamped on his watches to use as his company's label.
Bure returned to the ice in 2010 as a contestant on the
second season of the
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (french: Société Radio-Canada), branded as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian public broadcaster for both radio and television. It is a federal Crown corporation that receives funding from the government. ...
's
figure skating
Figure skating is a sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform on figure skates on ice. It was the first winter sport to be included in the Olympic Games, when contested at the 1908 Olympics in London. The Olympic disciplines are m ...
reality show ''
Battle of the Blades
''Battle of the Blades'' (or ''BOTB'' for short) is a Canadian figure skating reality show and competition that airs on CBC Television. The show originally aired for four seasons between 2009 and 2013. It was revived for a fifth season in 2019. ...
''. The series was a competition that paired a former professional hockey player with a figure skater. Bure's partner was
Ekaterina Gordeeva
Ekaterina "Katia" Alexandrovna Gordeeva (russian: Екатерина Александровна Гордеева; born 28 May 1971) is a Russian figure skater. Together with her husband, the late Sergei Grinkov, she was the 1988 and 1994 Olymp ...
. The pair won the competition and shared a $100,000 prize donated to charities of their choice. Bure's donation was made to
Compassion Canada.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
International
Awards and honors
See also
*
List of family relations in the NHL
This is a list of family relations in the National Hockey League. Since the creation of the National Hockey League in 1917, family members have been involved in all aspects of the league. Although most connections are among players, there have be ...
*
List of celebrities who own wineries and vineyards
The trend of celebrities owning wineries and vineyards is not a recent phenomenon, though it has certainly garnered more attention in today's Information Age. In ancient Greek (wine), ancient Greek and Roman (wine), Roman times, the leading phil ...
References
*''Career statistics'':
External links
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Bure Family Wines Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bure, Valeri
1974 births
Living people
American Christians
American men's ice hockey right wingers
American people of Swiss descent
Battle of the Blades participants
Calgary Flames players
Dallas Stars players
Florida Panthers players
Fredericton Canadiens players
HC CSKA Moscow players
Ice hockey players at the 1998 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey players at the 2002 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey people from Moscow
Medalists at the 2002 Winter Olympics
Medalists at the 1998 Winter Olympics
Montreal Canadiens draft picks
Montreal Canadiens players
National Hockey League All-Stars
Naturalized citizens of the United States
Olympic bronze medalists for Russia
Olympic ice hockey players of Russia
Olympic medalists in ice hockey
Olympic silver medalists for Russia
Russian Christians
Russian emigrants to the United States
Russian expatriate ice hockey people
Russian expatriate sportspeople in Canada
Russian ice hockey right wingers
Russian people of Swiss descent
St. Louis Blues players
Soviet expatriate ice hockey players
Soviet ice hockey right wingers
Soviet people of Swiss descent
Spokane Chiefs players
Valeri