Thrashers re-sign No. 1 goalie Kari Lehtonen to US$3.7-million, two-year deal

ATLANTA (CP) - The Atlanta Thrashers have re-signed starting goaltender Kari Lehtonen to a US$3.7-million, two year deal.

The 22-year-old rising star will earn $1.5 million this season and $2.2 million in 2007-08.

"It was critical for us to get this done for two reasons," Thrashers GM Don Waddell told The Canadian Press on Thursday. "Kari missed a lot of time with injuries last year so for him to miss any time in camp (which opens next week) would have been disastrous on both ends. Secondly, we have everybody signed now, which is huge. Last year we didn't have (Ilya) Kovalchuk signed and that was obviously a distraction."

Lehtonen went 20-15-0 with 2.94 goals-against average last season and two shutouts in 38 games. He led the team in wins, games, save percentage (.906) and saves (1,020) despite being sidelined for 41 games due to injuries. He also set franchise records with 28 consecutive starts and appearances, recording a 14-13-0 record and a .906 save percentage in that span.

The 6-4, 195-pound Finnish native has appeared in 42 career NHL games, going 24-15-0 with 2.77 GAA and .910 save percentage.

He was Atlanta's first pick, second overall, in the 2002 NHL entry draft.