DALLAS — Carolina Hurricanes forward Jussi Jokinen always looked up to countryman Dallas Stars Jere Lehtinen, who announced his retirement from hockey Wednesday.

Jokinen said he learned a lot from Lehtinen when the two were teammates in Dallas from 2005 to 2008.

Both are from Finland.

"One of the best things that happened to me when I came to this league was being his roommate my first year," Jokinen said after Friday's morning practice at American Airlines Center, where the Hurricanes will play the Stars tonight at 8:30 p.m.