When Kent Hughes took over as the Montreal Canadiens’ GM and the Habs brass decided to press the rebuild button, one of the Habs’ most coveted assets was Artturi Lehkonen. It took some time, but eventually, a deal was struck with Colorado Avalanche General Manager Joe Sakic to send the Finnish winger to Denver.
For his services, Hughes obtained right-shot defenseman Justin Barron and a 2024 second-round pick, which he then used to move up in the first round of the same draft in a deal with the Los Angeles Kings, which resulted in Montreal drafting Michael Hage.
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Barron didn’t pan out in Montreal and was dealt to the Nashville Predators earlier this season in return for Alex Carrier, who became a significant member of the defense corps. It’s too early to tell how Hage will turn out, but so far, the Avalanche has been the winner in that deal.
Although Lehkonen struggled with injuries this season, he still became the fourth player to lead the team in both plus/minus and game-winning goals since the franchise moved to Colorado. The left winger finished the season with a plus-36 rating and five game-winning goals to his name.
The three players who have managed the feat since the Quebec Nordiques became the Avs were Nathan MacKinnon in 2023-24 (plus-35 and nine game-winning tallies), Gabriel Landeskog in 2011-12 (plus-20 and five game-winning goals), and 2000-01 Joe Sakic (plus-45 and 12 game-winning goals). That’s some elite company right there.
Artturi Lehkonen 👑 pic.twitter.com/XDiuKj7oMd
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) June 3, 2025
Since being traded to Colorado, Lehkonen has put up 139 points in 194 games for 0.72 points per game. In six seasons with the Canadiens, he had put up 149 points in 396 games, averaging 0.38 points per game. Almost twice as much with the Avalanche. Of course, he has had incredible linemates; he finished the last season skating alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas on the Avs’ first line.
Was Lehkonen flying under the radar in Montreal, or is this production mainly due to the company he’s been keeping near the Rockies? Whatever it is, the Avs certainly do not have buyer’s remorse four years down the line.
Photo credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
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