Blues sign Lehtera, lose Jackman

The St. Louis Blues have signed forward Jori Lehtera to a three-year contract extension that will begin with the 2016-17 season.

The 27-year-old Lehtera had 14 goals and 30 assists in 75 games in his first NHL season, and ranked second on the team with a plus-21 rating. He had two assists in five playoff games.

Lehtera was a third-round draft pick in 2008 and spent the first seven seasons of his pro career in Europe.

The Blues also signed defenseman Chris Butler to a one-year deal Wednesday.

The 28-year-old Butler had three goals and six assists in 33 games last season. He's played in seven seasons including stints with Calgary and Buffalo.

St. Louis also signed forward Cody Beach to a one-year, two-way contract.

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Also on Wednesday, the Nashville Predators signed former Blues defenseman Barret Jackman to a two-year deal worth $4 million.

Jackman, 34, had played his entire career with the Blues since reaching the NHL in 2001-02. He has 28 goals and 153 assists in 803 career games.

Jackman has missed just eight games in the last four seasons, and he has been an alternate captain for St. Louis each of the last nine seasons.

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