Stars Sign Goaltender Lehtonen to Three-Year Extension

The Dallas Stars announced today that they have signed goaltender Kari Lehtonen to a three-year contract extension worth $10.65 million. The deal averages out to $3.55 million per season. He would have been a restricted free agent on July 1. The Stars acquired Lehtonen from the Atlanta Thrashers in February for prospect defenseman Ivan Vishnevskiy. In 12 games last season with the Stars, Lehtonen posted a 6-4-0 record, with a 2.81 GAA, and a .911 save percentage. He missed most of last season recovering from back surgery. In 216 career NHL games with the Thrashers and Stars, he has a 100-87-17 record, 14 shutouts, a 2.87 GAA, and a .912 save percentage. This is kind of a risky signing for the Stars, as Lehtonen has a bit of an injury history. If he can stay healthy, it will be a great signing for the team, as Lehtonen has plenty of skill and has the potential to become a top goalie in the NHL.