Lehtera gets good news on return timetable from ankle surgery

Jori Lehtera is speeding along in his recovery from an August ankle surgery, as the Blues' forward is scheduled to make his preseason debut Thursday just over seven weeks post-op.

They won't play tonight, but Hitchcock says both Lehtera and Bortuzzo will be in the lineup Thursday vs. Chicago. #stlblues
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) September 29, 2015

Doctors initially estimated Lehtera's recovery to take between eight to 12 weeks, so Lehtera's quick healing is a nice surprise for the Blues. Robert Bortuzzo missed time in camp due to a lower-body injury.

St. Louis locked Lehtera up to a three-year, $14.1 million contract over the summer following a season in which Lehtera posted 44 points (14 goals, 30 assists) in 75 games. The 27-year-old is entering just his second NHL season, as he played in the KHL for four years before making the decision to move to North America.