Jere Juhani Karalahti (born 25 March 1975) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey defenceman.

Karalahti improved his record by three points in the following season and was offered a contract by a NHL club known as the Los Angeles Kings.

[citation needed] Karalahti moved to North America in 1999 after difficulties with his visa, playing the rest of the season for the Los Angeles Kings.

After a good first season, Karalahti's time on the ice was reduced and he eventually requested a trade to the Nashville Predators, which he got in 2001.

At the close of the season, Karalahti stirred up controversy by refusing to play in the bronze medal game for the second time in his HIFK career, citing a lack of interest.

[4] In May 2009, Karalahti announced that he would leave Hamburg to play for HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk in the Russian Kontinental Hockey League.

[citation needed] In November 2014 Karalahti signed a contract with HV71 in the Swedish Hockey League for the 2014–15 and the 2015–16 seasons.

[8] In a 21 January 2002 interview with Sports Illustrated, Karalahti detailed his history of drug use, which included an arrest in 1996 for possession of various quantities of marijuana, amphetamines and heroin, subsequently resulting in a brief suspension by the SM-liiga.

It was speculated that he would attempt a comeback in the NHL, and with this in mind had set a very strict contract with Kärpät that allowed no drug abuse and included regular check-ups with the team doctor.

[14] The drug ring is suspected of smuggling about 20 kilograms of amphetamines and hundreds of grams of cocaine from Estonia to Finland last year[when?].