Mezue ahịrịokwu na-esonụ: N'ịlaghachi na North America, Jokinen malitere oge 1998-99 na Kings 'American Hockey League (AHL) mmekọ, Springfield Falcons. A kpọghachitere ya na Los Angeles mgbe egwuregwu itoolu gachara, ebe o nwetara akara itoolu. O dekọtara akara NHL mbụ ya na November 5, 1998, site na inye aka na egwuregwu megide St. Louis Blues, wee nweta ihe mgbaru ọsọ NHL mbụ ya abalị ise mgbe e mesịrị megide Calgary Flames. A kpọrọ Jokinen NHL Rookie nke Ọnwa maka ọnwa Nọvemba, na-enweta isi asatọ na egwuregwu iri na otu. O mechiri oge ahụ na ihe iri abụọ na otu n'egwuregwu iri isii na isii. Mgbe emechara oge ahụ, na June 20, 1999, a gbanwere Jokinen na New York Islanders, yana Josh Green, Mathieu Biron na nhọrọ nke mbụ na
afọ ahụ, na mgbanwe maka Žigmund Pálffy, Bryan Smolinski, Marcel Cousineau na nhọrọ nke anọ. A na-ewere Jokinen dị ka isi ihe dị na nkwekọrịta ahụ site n'echiche New York, ebe ha hapụrụ onye ọkpụkpọ ha kachasị elu na Pálffy.