Stars Sign Forward Jere Lehtinen to One-Year Contract

The Dallas Stars announced on Tuesday that they have signed veteran right wing Jere Lehtinen to a one-year contract extension worth $1.5 million. He would have become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. In an injury plagued 2008-09 season, Lehtinen appeared in 48 games, scoring eight goals and 16 assists for 24 points. In 13 NHL seasons, all with the Stars, he has appeared in 817 games, scoring 239 goals and 258 assists for 497 points. He is a three-time Selke Trophy winner as the league’s top defensive forward and also won the Stanley Cup with the Stars in 1999. This is a good signing for the Stars, as Lehtinen is an extremely talented and crafty two-way player. He has been hampered by injuries in recent years and age is also starting to catch up with him, but Lehtinen is still one of the top defensive forwards in the NHL, and at $1.5 million, is very affordable for the Stars.