Stars give Lehtonen 3-year, $10.65M deal
The Dallas Stars and goaltender Kari Lehtonen agreed Tuesday to a
three-year, $10.65 million contract extension that locks up Marty
Turco's replacement through the 2012-13 season.
General manager Joe Nieuwendyk said last month the Stars were
moving on without Turco, a three-time All-Star who was their top
goalie for nine seasons. He said the 26-year-old Lehtonen showed
enough in 12 games with Dallas to justify letting Turco become a
free agent.
The Stars acquired Lehtonen in February from Atlanta, where
he was the No. 2 pick in the 2002 draft.
The native Finn was 6-4-0 with a 2.81 goals-against average
for the Stars. All six wins came in his final nine starts, when his
goals-against average dropped to 2.44.
He led the Thrashers to their first division title in
2006-07, finishing with a 34-24-9 record, four shutouts and a 2.79
goals-against average. In 216 career games, Lehtonen is 100-87-17
with a 2.87 GAA.
Lehtonen's career was sidetracked by back problems. He
underwent surgery twice and had not played all season before the
trade to Dallas.
``We've had a long tradition of having premium goaltenders,''
Nieuwendyk said at his season-ending news conference last month.
``I think the way he played in the last 10-12 games, his
performance showed that with a good summer of training he can
become an elite goaltender like he was earlier in his career.''
Turco just completed a $22.8 million, four-year contract. He
holds the franchise records for a goaltender with 509 games, 262
wins and 40 shutouts.
