Stars Re-Sign Lehtinen to One-Year Deal

[Thrillhouse]

FRISCO, Tex. – Dallas Stars General Manager Joe Nieuwendyk announced today that the club has re-signed right wing Jere Lehtinen to a one-year contract for the 2009-10 season. His deal includes a $1.5 million base salary, and as much as $1 million more in incentives.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome Jere Lehtinen back with our club next season,” said Nieuwendyk. “He has been one of the cornerstones of this franchise for many years, and we feel he will continue to be a significant contributor going forward. Jere is a consummate professional on and off the ice, and we look forward to his healthy return next season.”

Lehtinen, 36, skated in 48 games for Dallas last season, notching eight goals and 16 assists for 24 points with eight penalty minutes. He missed 34 games in 2008-09 due to injury, but skated in his 800th career NHL game on Feb. 23 vs. San Jose, becoming just the fifth Dallas Star to do so.

Dallas’ fourth-round selection (No. 88 overall) in the 1992 Entry Draft, Lehtinen has skated in 817 career NHL games, all with the Stars, registering 497 points (239 goals, 258 assists) and 202 penalty minutes. In 108 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, he has earned 27 goals and 22 assists for 49 points with 12 PIM, and was a member of the Stars’ 1999 Stanley Cup championship club.

Among Stars franchise leaders, Lehtinen ranks third in game-winning goals (37), fourth in games played (817), seventh in goals (239) and power play goals (76) and ninth in scoring (497). His seven seasons of 20-or-more goals are third all-time in franchise history, trailing only Mike Modano (16) and Brian Bellows (10).

Lehtinen is one of just three players in NHL history to have won the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the league’s best defensive forward three times (also Bob Gainey, 4, and Guy Carbonneau, 3). He has represented Finland at the Winter Olympics on four occasions (1994, 1998, 2002, 2006), winning a silver medal in Torino in 2006 and a bronze in Nagano in 1998. He also led his home country to a gold medal at the 1995 World Championships.

[duda.radek]

Good job, he is still very useless.

[Juha82]

Useless??
Very good defensive forward.