Dallas Picks Up Option on Lehtinen, Signs Hagman

[VodkaFish]

FRISCO, Tex. – Dallas Stars General Manager Doug Armstrong announced today that the club has exercised the club option on right wing Jere Lehtinen’s contract for the 2006-07 season and also signed left wing Niklas Hagman to a two-year deal through the 2007-08 campaign.

“Over his 10 seasons with the Dallas Stars, Jere Lehtinen has demonstrated his worth to this organization with consistency and hard work,” said Armstrong. “He leads his teammates through his work ethic on the ice and we are glad to have him secured for next season.

“Niklas Hagman proved that he fits in well with our hockey club with his grittiness and strong penalty killing. We believe that he will only continue to develop as a solid player in this league.”

Lehtinen, 32, set career-highs last season in goals (33) and power play goals (14) and tied career-highs in game-winning goals (6) and games played (80). Among team leaders, he ranked first in goals, power play goals and game-winners.

The 6-0, 192-pound right wing appeared in his fourth Olympics with Team Finland during the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy, earning a Silver Medal with Finland and recording three goals and five assists for eight points with a +6 rating.

A three-time Selke Trophy winner (2002-03, 1998-99, 1997-98), Lehtinen is one of three players to ever win the Selke three times or more (also Bob Gainey and Guy Carbonneau). A six-time 20-goal scorer, he has been named to the NHL All-Star Game twice (1998, 2002 – missed 2002 game due to injury) and was originally Dallas’ fourth round selection (88th overall) in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft.

Hagman, 26, was acquired by Dallas from Florida in exchange for a seventh round draft pick in 2007 on Dec. 12, 2005. Overall last season, he collected eight goals and 13 assists for 21 points in 84 games. With Dallas, he notched six goals and nine assists for 15 points in 54 outings. In five playoff games, Hagman tallied two goals and an assist, with both goals coming in the Stars’ 4-1 win during Game Four in Colorado.

The 6-0, 205-pound left wing played in his second Olympics with Team Finland in 2006, collecting one assist and also earning a Silver Medal. He and his father Matti are the first Finnish father-son duo to play in the NHL.