Confirmed with Link: Blues Sign Jori Lehtera (No, not again. It was just the one time. Deep breaths.)

[Dr Robot]

As per Jeremy Rutherford its a 2 years deal.

https://twitter.com/jprutherford/status/484006254591762432

Click to read more...

 

[JJTT]

5,5m total, so 2,25 per

 

[Finnpin]

Nice to see him finally trying in St. Louis

His Instagram page
http://instagram.com/jorsti

and Twitter
https://twitter.com/Lempaalanpoika

 

[BrokenFace]

I'm very glad I saw that we signed Stastny first, or else I would have though that this was our big free agent solution to our #2 center problem.

Anyway, can't have enough players competing for spots. It will be fun seeing what Lehtera can do on in the NHL.

 

[542365]

I'm happy with getting Lehtera. I thought the ship had sailed long ago, but I'm thrilled he decided to give it a shot. I'm interested where he slots in.

 

[Periwinkle]

5,5m total, so 2,25 per

Oh nice, paid for him to hold out another year.

 

[Maya Blue]

I'm quite happy with this signing. Under the radar but could pay big dividends.

 

[JustOneB4IDie]

I'm happy with getting Lehtera. I thought the ship had sailed long ago, but I'm thrilled he decided to give it a shot. I'm interested where he slots in.

Agreed. His skating leave a lot to be desired but Lehtera will be given a shot in a bottom six role? Berglund days are numbered unless it's to wing you would think?

 

[BluesBrother]

I'm thrilled. Nice to see what he can do in NA. Played earlier in Tappara, which is my favourite team in sm-liiga. So, definitely one more reason to enjoy Blues hockey even more

 

[BlueDream]

Was not expecting this at all but hey on the 3rd line this could be a great signing. Let's see what he can do.

All the sudden we have centers... Stastny, Backes, Lehtera, Sobotka, Berglund, Lapierre with Fabbri and Barbashev in the system??? Holy ****.

Just a few days ago we had Backes, Sobotka, Berglund and Max ****ing Gardiner.

 

[Novacain]

Agreed. His skating leave a lot to be desired but Lehtera will be given a shot in a bottom six role? Berglund days are numbered unless it's to wing you would think?

He'll be on ether wing. We currently have no needs to address (in theory), so we should finally get that prolonged look at Berglund on the wing that we've been teased with.

 

[JJTT]

Agreed. His skating leave a lot to be desired but Lehtera will be given a shot in a bottom six role?

He played as 4th line winger/penalty kill in Olympics and was quite effective in that role.

 

[TheFinnishTrap]

Finally. I think this is a good signing for the Blues. I could see him playing on the 3rd line or as a 2nd line winger.

 

[Meatball]

Our bottom six is stacked. Really like the look of our 3rd line now if it does shake out to be Berglund-Lehtera-Sobotka.

Hell, you could slot Jaskin in there on the third line and then roll with a fourth line of Lapierre-Sobotka-Reaves and you still have Paajarvi, Porter and Cracknell waiting in the wings.

Underrated signing that really highlights just how successful our offseason as a whole has been.

 

[Jussi]

Fans are going to love his media trolling while the media will be all like "wait...was he serious or not?"

I was really impressed with the way he was able to elevate his play at Worlds after a bad first week. I think he's physically and mentally more prepared for NHL now. The fact that he signed with Blues, shows there was always mutual interest from both sides. They should know what they're getting. He played wing with Kontiola in the bronze medal game at the Olympics and throughout the Worlds so with the right type of center and winger (old line mate Tarasenko?).

 

[stlbluz]

BNZ: How does Jori Lehtera look so far? He was skating on the same line as Tarasenko, are they still linemates? If so, how is their chemistry?

ASR: Lehtera and Tarasenko have developed an excellent chemistry. I would risk to say that such a duo could be good in the NHL, too. In the NHL they would probably need a player like Max Pacioretti of the Habs to do the dirty work for them. In the KHL there is more space, less defense, and teams can afford three offensive forwards on the same line. This allow for lines like Sibir’s first, which is skilled enough to score beautiful combination goals.

 

[BlueBeard]

I see Lehtera slotting in on the wing at first. No need to kick Berglund to the curb for a a guy who has zero NHL experience. If Lethera can handle the tougher board play in the NHL he could be the type of guy that could get the puck on the half boards, buy a little time and have the hands to get the puck to Berglund for a shot or deflection.

 

[Multimoodia]

I would love to see Lehtera come in and be the Blues version of Sodeberg.
Yes, I know there's some irony in the comment. It wouldn't be a post of mine without some sort of seasoning.

 

[rumrokh]

I would love to see Lehtera come in and be the Blues version of Sodeberg.
Yes, I know there's some irony in the comment. It wouldn't be a post of mine without some sort of seasoning.

More likely to be the Blues' new, slower Cajanek.

 

[Jzk]

Didn't Lehtera win a fastest skating comp in the KHL? I remember watching him with Tarasenko and his skating wasn't that bad at all.

 

[rumrokh]

His skating really did improve a lot. I don't know anything about his winning a competition, but I don't expect it to be an issue.

 

[Multimoodia]

Didn't Lehtera win a fastest skating comp in the KHL?

That was before he went to his first Blues golfing outing.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

More likely to be the Blues' new, slower Cajanek.

I am quite okay with this. I was a Cajanek fan and thought he got kicked out way too soon.

 

[Chojin]

I just thought of this, but I wonder if the shenanigans with Russia and Ukraine is causing players in the KHL to want to leave. Donbass' arena got destroyed, and they're going to miss the next season, and I wonder if that kind of craziness pushed Lehtera, McRae and Komarov to want to come over.

 

[Jzk]

I just thought of this, but I wonder if the shenanigans with Russia and Ukraine is causing players in the KHL to want to leave. Donbass' arena got destroyed, and they're going to miss the next season, and I wonder if that kind of craziness pushed Lehtera, McRae and Komarov to want to come over.

That could be a factor. Russia just seems so tedious.