Blues extend Lehtera, re-sign Butler as free agency period begins

By Andrew Allsman| Posted: July 1, 2015| Contact  |

As the free agent frenzy began Wednesday afternoon, the Blues focused on their own players, re-signing unrestricted free agent Chris Butler and extending forward Jori Lehtera.

Lehtera and the Blues hammered out a three-year, $14.1 million contract extension, the club confirmed Wednesday afternoon, an hour after the free agent period began.

Lehtera's extension, which will keep the center a Blue through the 2018-19 season, kicks in prior to the 2016-17 season, when Lehtera's current deal expires. The new deal provides a nifty pay raise for Lehtera, who is coming off his first NHL season.

The 27-year-old forward will earn $2.7 million for the upcoming season. Once his new deal kicks in, Lehtera's average annual value will be $4.7 million.

In his rookie season, Lehtera posted 14 goals, 44 points in 75 games. He also had two points in five playoff games.

In what was a surprising move, Lehtera joined the Blues last summer, signing a two-year $5.5 million contract with the club after spending the five previous seasons overseas. 

Lehtera, who was the Blues' third-round draft pick in 2008, met with Blues general manager Doug Armstrong at the Olympics and told the GM he wished to return to North America. The two sides discussed and finally reached a deal.

Lehtera found chemistry with star winger Vladimir Tarasenko last season, as the two were partnered on the team's 'STL' line.

“It’s gratifying for us because they are doing the things that we are trying to ingrain into the whole group here," Ken Hitchcock said of the two players during the regular season.

The Blues have yet to re-sign Tarasenko, though a deal is likely to be announced sooner rather than later.

The club also agreed to a new contract with defenseman Chris Butler on Wednesday.

According to Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the deal is a one-year, one-way deal worth $675,000. The veteran defenseman made just over $500,000 with the Blues last season.

A native of St. Louis, the 28-year old defenseman joined the Blues last offseason after spending his three previous NHL seasons in Calgary with the Flames.

With the Blues last season, Butler posted three goals, nine points in 33 games. He began the season in the AHL with the Chicago Wolves, where he tallied nine points (one goal, eight assists) in 14 games.

Butler, who was an unrestricted free agent before re-signing with the Blues, was on the market for less than an hour before he and the club agreed to the terms of the new deal.