Report: Flyers’ Jori Lehtera scheduled to appear in court in drug-ring case
Lehtera is not one of the main suspects in the Finnish case, and it's unclear if he will miss any games.
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Flyers forward Jori Lehtera is scheduled to appear in court next month for his alleged involvement in a Finnish drug ring, according to a published report Tuesday.
The trial will begin Dec. 31, and Lehtera is not one of the main suspects, according to lastwordonhockey.com. No January date was scheduled for his court appearance, and it is not known if he will miss any games.
The Flyers had no immediate comment.
Lehtera, 30, who will become an unrestricted free agent after the season, has denied any wrongdoing in the cocaine ring.
The Flyers are absorbing a $4.7 million cap hit this season for a contract Lehtera signed with St. Louis before being acquired in the 2017 Brayden Schenn trade. The Flyers also received two first-round draft picks in the deal, and selected center Morgan Frost in 2017 and left winger Joel Farabee in 2018.
After collecting 14 goals and 44 points during his rookie season with the Blues in 2014-15, Lehtera’s production has decreased each year. His point totals the last five seasons: 44, 34, 22, eight, and three in 24 games this season.
NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the league had no comment on Tuesday’s developments and had no update on its investigation into Lehtera’s alleged involvement in the drug ring.