The Canadiens have already moved out two key players in winger Tyler Toffoli (traded to Calgary last month) and defenseman Ben Chiarot (moved to Florida on Wednesday). Now, it appears they’ll have another big decision to make when it comes to winger Artturi Lehkonen as TSN’s Darren Dreger reports (Twitter link) that there is strong interest in the 26-year-old. However, Montreal is apparently weighing that against the prospect of signing the pending RFA to a long-term extension.
Lehkonen has spent his entire six-year career with the Canadiens who drafted him in the second round (55th overall) back in 2013. He scored 18 goals in his rookie season but has failed to reach that mark since then although he has 13 in 57 games this season. However, he has become a very valuable defensive winger that plays on both wings and can play up and down the lineup while logging heavy minutes on the penalty kill. He played that role in Montreal’s playoff run last season while also scoring the series winner against Vegas to send them to the Stanley Cup Final.
At $2.3MM, his price tag is low enough that most teams could afford him this season, particularly if Montreal uses one of their two remaining retention slots to pay down up to 50% of that. Considering the returns that teams have paid for middle-six wingers with some team control in recent years (Tampa Bay’s acquisitions of Barclay Goodrow, Blake Coleman, and Brandon Hagel among them), it’s expected that the Canadiens will place a similar price tag to part with Lehkonen; Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic relays (Twitter link) that Montreal’s ask involves a first-round pick or equivalent prospect and potentially a second asset.
Of course, this is a different situation. While Lehkonen is still controllable for one more year, he’s not signed for next season and will be eyeing a raise this summer, one that will likely push him past the $3MM mark. Goodrow, Coleman, and Hagel all had at least one year left on their existing contracts at a below-market rate which helped drive their value up significantly.
In his press conference earlier this week, GM Kent Hughes indicated he wasn’t interested in having a fire sale for his team. However, with there being strong interest in Lehkonen, it appears he’ll need to seriously consider parting with another important player with an opportunity to add another future asset or two to their stockpile.
Lehkonen is a nice player but I think I’d consider him a tier below Coleman and Hagel. A second round pick and B prospect seems like it would be a good return in my opinion.
Did you watch him after the Habs beat the leafs last playoffs? He can have a material impact on the game. He’s RFA, at least worth a 1st. You get him for 2 playoff runs.
It does seem like it’s a sellers market this year but like I said, he’s probably not as good as those other two. I can’t see him returning a 1st unless it’s like one of those Tampa deals where a team gives up their 1st but receives a 2nd or 3rd back from Montreal.
Kent Hughes after seeing the Hagel deal: “Offer me the Lindros package for Lehkonen or don’t bother calling!”