Stars News & Notes: Lehtinen re-signs for one year

Tuesday, June 30, 2009-10:05:pm
/Andrew's Dallas Stars Page                            

One day before free agent season opens, the Dallas Stars answered one of the key questions surrounding the team, re-signing forward Jere Lehtinen to a one-year deal.

The contract will pay Lehtinen $1.5 million in base salary and offer up to another $1 million in incentives, which involve games played and playoff rounds.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome Jere Lehtinen back with our club next season,” Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk said in a news release. “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, a three-time Selke Trophy winner as the league's top defensive forward, missed 34 games last season due to injury. In the 48 games he did play, he registered eight goals and 16 assists.

The Stars are up to about $44.7 million cap costs with 18 likely roster players under contract. For those same 18 players the money being paid out is about $41 million, which includes actual compensation and doesn't include potential bonus money.

The Stars are not expected to come anywhere near the upper limit of the cap, which is $56.8 million. They'll have their own internal budget, but it's not clear exactly where that will fall.

Defenseman Mark Fistric, a restricted free agent, is a likely roster player who will be signed at some point. Defenseman Sergei Zubov, who will hit the market as an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday, remains another possibility.

Gustavsson will wait to make decision

Swedish goalie Jonas Gustavsson, who is being courted by the Dallas Stars and three other NHL teams, was expected to make a decision on where he'd sign by Tuesday, but has decided to delay the decision until after July 1.

"It's highly unlikely we'll commit before 12 noon Wednesday. With so many teams potentially making major changes to their rosters, maybe it's best to wait and watch it unfold first," agent Joe Resnick told The Fan 590 in Toronto.

Resnick also told TSN: "It's been a hectic and busy time for Jonas. With his mother passing away recently, he really just needs some time to take stock of things. There's no point in rushing into a decision. All we know at this point is his decision will come after July 1."

Gustavsson is choosing between the Stars, Toronto, San Jose and Colorado.

As for the Stars, who are in the market for a backup goaltender, there are other options they can look at as they await a decision from Gustavsson. Among the free agent goalies on the market starting Wednesday: Craig Anderson, Scott Clemmensen and Ty Conklin to just a few.

Modano invited to U.S. Olympic orientation camp

Stars center Mike Modano was one of 34 players invited by USA Hockey to an Olympic orientation camp to be held in Illinois in August. The camp will help prepare the U.S. Olympic hockey team for the 2010 games in Vancouver.

“I am privileged to be invited to Team USA’s Olympic Orientation Camp,” Modano said.. “I’ve been lucky enough to represent my country at the Olympics in the past and I would very much like to do so again in 2010. I’d like to thank USA Hockey for the opportunity to hopefully make this team. It would be an honor.”

Team USA Brian Burke is going with a younger team for this year's games and Modano is one of only five players with past Olympic experience attending the camp.

"If you look at the evolution of the Dallas hockey club, Mike Modano has been asked to accept an increasingly defensive role. He's the all-time leading scoring American player," Burke said during a media conference call. "He's been a warrior for us. I keep using that term because we've been so lucky to have a group that has answered the bell every time. It's not like other countries that have deeper pools. We've turned to the same group for the last 15 years and they've always shown up and they've always shown up with heart and desire, and we owe these guys.

"In Mike's case, his production has fallen off, but his usefulness as a player has not. It's just that his role has changed, and he's accepted that cheerfully. He's worked very hard and he's still an effective hockey player, even though he's not putting up the numbers he once did."

The camp roster is not the final pool of players from which the final roster will be selected, according to Burke. He said up to 50 other players will be included in an anti-doping program that will make them eligible for the final 23-man roster.

Here's the list of players invited to the camp: