Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Artturi Lehkonen

Artturi Lehkonen Out 4-6 Weeks With Broken Finger

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The Colorado Avalanche have been dealing with a plethora of injuries all season, and they just continue to pile up as Artturi Lehkonen will be out of the lineup long term. Peter Baugh of The Athetic reported Lehkonen broke his finger and would require surgery. Head Coach Jared Bednar was on Vic Lombardi’s Altitude Sports Radio show this morning and confirmed it would be a 4-6 week absence.

The Avalanche crushed the Montreal Canadiens 8-4 last night, jumping out to a 3-0 lead before the midway point of the first period. It was a big night for the former Canadiens winger who scored two goals, including the 100th of his career, and added an assist against the team that traded him a year ago. But then he was forced to leave the game with injury.

Lehkonen has fit in perfectly with the Avalanche since being acquired for Justin Barron and a second-round pick. His goals last night brought him to 20 for this first time in his career and he also has a career high 49 points this season in just 62 games. He helped Colorado win the Stanley Cup last spring by playing a terrific defensive game and adding eight goals and 14 points in 20 postseason games.

Lehkonen now joins Gabriel Landeskog, Erik Johnson and Darren Helm on the Avalanche injured reserve. They have fought through all the injuries to sit comfortably in a playoff position today and still have a shot at winning the Central Division.

The playoffs will begin in almost exactly five weeks, which means Lehkonen could still be back for Game 1 of the opening round.

Artturi Lehkonen Leaves Game With Upper-Body Injury

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The Colorado Avalanche have announced that Artturi Lehkonen will not return to tonight’s game against the Montreal Canadiens after leaving with an apparent upper-body injury.

It was quite an eventful night for Lehkonen who was playing in his first game back in Montreal since being traded to Colorado in March of 2022. Lehkonen received a video tribute and a standing ovation from the Montreal crowd, then followed it up by adding two goals and an assist in less than two periods of play. The injury puts a damper on what was an incredible return to Montreal for the former second round pick.

Lehkonen has been red hot as of late with seven points in his past five games. He’s been everything Colorado could have hoped for when they dealt a second-round pick and Justin Barron to Montreal for him just under a year ago. Lehkonen has flourished this season with a career high 49 points in 62 games. This after scoring 14 points in 20 games last postseason in Colorado’s magical run to the Stanley Cup.

Should Lehkonen miss any time it will be a big blow for an Avalanche team that has dealt with a multitude of injuries throughout this season. Colorado is already missing Josh Manson, Gabriel Landeskog, Darren Helm, Erik Johnson, and goaltender Pavel Francouz. Despite the injuries, Colorado has maintained stellar team defense this season as they rank seventh in the league in goals against. The Avalanche currently hold the final wild card spot in the west, but they have struggled as of late having dropped four of their last six games coming into tonight.

Artturi Lehkonen Returning To Colorado Avalanche Lineup

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

After suffering a concussion on December 3rd, Colorado Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen is expected back in the lineup for this afternoon’s contest on the road in St. Louis against the Blues, says Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. Lehkonen was never placed on IR with the injury, missing three games and seven days total. At last report on Thursday, the veteran had been placed in concussion protocol. According to Durando, Lehkonen will skate on the top line this afternoon alongside Mikko Rantanen and Valeri Nichushkin.

Colorado’s injury woes this season have been well reported, the consistent and significant injuries sending the reigning Stanley Cup Champions into a fight for a playoff position even at the one-third mark of the season. After losing Nichushkin for over a month, the team then found out they’d be without perennial Hart Trophy candidate Nathan MacKinnon for four weeks, only compounding the issue. Beyond just their stars, which also includes Gabriel Landeskog, who has yet to play this season, Colorado has lost a number of secondary and depth options for small and large portions of the season.

Lehkonen has been one of the bright spots for the Avalanche so far this season, recording seven goals and 11 assists through 22 games, well on his way to a career-year. The team will need him to keep that scoring pace up in order to do their best to navigate other injuries, like MacKinnon’s, but it’s not yet known what sort of lingering effect, if any, will come with the concussion.

Staying on the injury front, Durando adds that Darren Helm and Evan Rodrigues are not yet ready to return to the lineup. Helm, who has yet to play this season, has been close to returning and was even a possibility to play this weekend, but will clearly need to wait a little bit longer to make his season debut. Rodrigues hasn’t played since suffering a lower-body injury against the Vancouver Canucks back on November 23rd, but had been a bright spot amid the injuries, with nine points in his first 18 games for Colorado.

Colorado Avalanche Recall Brad Hunt

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Colorado Avalanche continue their daily roster changes, recalling Brad Hunt from the minor leagues. The veteran defenseman (who is no relation to Avalanche forward Dryden Hunt) will slot in on defense while Jacob MacDonald moves back to forward. After clearing waivers, Martin Kaut was sent down to make room.

Hunt, 34, has shown he’s still too good for the minor leagues this year, racking up six goals and 20 points in 22 games. This is his first time playing in the AHL since 2016-17, when he forced his way up to the NHL despite being an undersized, undrafted defenseman. There was no stopping Hunt in the minors; he has 229 career points in 309 AHL games, including 63 goals. Last season with the Vancouver Canucks, he added 17 points in 50 games, showing he could still be a capable offensive piece at the highest level.

This likely won’t be a long-term fix, though, as the Avalanche are close to getting two impact forwards back. Artturi Lehkonen and Valeri Nichushkin are both very close to getting back into the lineup, with the latter even being a game-time decision this evening. The defending champs are just 13-10-1 this season thanks to a huge number of injuries, and will try to start turning the corner as they get players back.

Alexandar Georgiev will get the start against his former team.

Injury Notes: Avalanche, Rielly, Klingberg, Stone

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

If the playoffs began today, the reigning Stanley Cup Champions, the Colorado Avalanche, would be on the outside looking in. Colorado’s fall isn’t for a lack of talent and granted, losing Nazem Kadri and Andre Burakovsky to free agency wasn’t exactly helpful, but instead the primary issues seem to fall squarely on injuries. The team has lost more than it’s fair share of man games to injury as they approach the one-third mark of the season and just when things couldn’t seem to get worse, Nathan MacKinnon was ruled out for four weeks.

There could be some help coming soon though, reports Brennan Vogt of Colorado Hockey Now, who spoke with Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar during his media availability earlier today. According to Bednar, forwards Darren Helm and Valeri Nichushkin could be available to play in tomorrow’s game. Nichushkin, one of the team’s premier players, was off to a blistering start with 12 points in seven games before an injury sidelined him for 17 games. Helm, a veteran utility player, has yet to suit up for Colorado this year, but given the injuries the team has dealt with, getting his versatile presence back in the lineup could pay bigger dividends than it might seem. Also of note, Bednar disclosed that forward Artturi Lehkonen, who was injured in Colorado’s game on Saturday, is currently going through concussion protocol.

  • During today’s Leafs Lunch radio program on TSN Radio, Sports Illustrated’s David Alter called in to discuss a number of Toronto Maple Leafs notes, including the status of injured defenseman Morgan Rielly. Alter acknowledged an earlier report by TSN’s Darren Dreger, who believed Rielly’s timeline to be somewhere around four-to-six weeks, but added that when he caught up with Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas recently, Toronto’s timeline was only to the extent of the LTIR minimum duration: 24 days and 10 games. Alter adds that Rielly, who has been working out with the team, has not yet resumed skating and thus the earliest return date from LTIR, which would be on December 17th, seems very unlikely. Rielly has been dealing with an MCL injury suffered in a collision with New York Islanders forward Kyle Palmieri, who was also injured on the play, back on November 21st.
  • The Athletic’s Eric Stephens writes that Anaheim Ducks defenseman John Klingberg will return to the lineup tomorrow after missing the previous seven games with a lower-body injury. Much like his Ducks, Klingberg has struggled to start this year. The offensive-minded defenseman has recorded just eight points in 20 games thus far to go with a -12 rating, which itself isn’t too out-of-line compared to his recent seasons. Klingberg had signed a one-year, $7MM deal with Anaheim this offseason with the idea that he could be dealt to a contender at the trade deadline perhaps, and test the free agent market again next summer, two things which are still on the table most likely.
  • Vegas Golden Knights winger Mark Stone was notably absent from practice today, however as Jesse Granger of The Athletic reports, this was simply a maintenance day. These sorts of absences are normal throughout the NHL, especially for veterans and players who are recently back from injury or dealing with a nagging issue, but given the extent of Stone’s recent injuries and his unrelenting style of play, it makes sense that an absence even like this one would sound an alarm for some. Since returning full-time for Vegas, Stone is back to his old ways, chipping in 21 points in 28 games to go with stellar defense.

Evening Notes: Zetterlund, Boqvist, Lehkonen, 2024 All Star Game

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The New Jersey Devils remarkable season is becoming more and more real each day. At first a nice story, then a “prove it,” then “what next,” the 19-4-1 Devils now sit among the NHL’s most elite teams this season with little evidence they’re slowing down. The team had another busy offseason, however the bulk of the talent on the roster isn’t much different than the same group that put up just 63 points last season. One of the several changes that has seemingly turned the tide in New Jersey is the development of some of their less-heralded prospects, including forwards Fabian Zetterlund and Jesper Boqvist.

As the Devils’ own Amanda Stein profiles, Devils head coach Lindy Ruff recently pulled both players aside and informed them that they should “get a place.” In other words, the two had been living in the team hotel in New Jersey without a permanent home, neither considered a firm part of the roster. However, a player being told to find a more permanent living situation implies that their spot on the roster is fairly safe. New Jersey had certainly hoped that both players could be a part of the long-term plan for them, however neither had really secured that status just yet. Now, 24 games into the season entering tonight, the Devils have found a winning recipe, and while it includes big names like Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt, it’s also quite clearly been impacted as well by players like Boqvist and Zetterlund.

  • The Colorado Avalanche have had to weather more than their fair share of injuries this year and much to their credit, the reigning Cup champions have been able to keep themselves in playoff position despite the injuries. However, the team was dealt another tough blow during tonight’s contest against the Boston Bruins with winger Artturi Lehkonen leaving the game with an undisclosed injury, says Colorado Hockey Now’s Adrian Dater. Acquired at last season’s trade deadline, Lehkonen has fit in well during his time in Colorado and is currently enjoying a phenomenal breakout season, tallying seven goals to go with 11 assists in 21 games coming into tonight.
  • With the postponement of the 2024 World Cup of Hockey, the NHL will need to find a host for their All Star Game and of course, won’t have an issue finding interested parties. On this evening’s 32 Thoughts portion of Hockey Night in Canada, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that there is expected to be a good amount of interest in hosting from Canadian teams, with Toronto being one that is expected to make a bid. Friedman added that there are some who have wondered if the NHL would consider a rotation of 7-to-10 cities where players may want to travel to during the winter months (presumably the warm climates of the American south and the west coast), but as Friedman adds, that’s not of interest to the league. The last All Star Game to be held north of the border was Ottawa back in 2012, with Montreal in 2009 before it.

Colorado Avalanche Extend Artturi Lehkonen

at CDT | by 5 Comments

The Colorado Avalanche have extended restricted free agent Artturi Lehkonen, signing the winger to a five-year contract that will carry an average annual value of $4.5MM. Since he was just one year away from unrestricted free agency, the lucrative extension buys out four UFA years and keeps Lehkonen in Colorado through the 2026-27 season.

New Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland released the following statement:

Artturi was a great fit to our team last season and obviously played an essential role in our championship run. He is incredibly versatile, can play anywhere up and down the lineup. He has a non-stop motor and never takes a shift off. He’s really smart, highly competitive, knows his role no matter what is asked of him. Getting length and term for a player of his quality was a top offseason priority and we’re thrilled to have him for the next five years.

When MacFarland says Lehkonen played an essential role in the Stanley Cup run, he isn’t kidding. The 27-year-old scored eight goals in 20 games, four of them game-winners, including the Cup-deciding tally in game six of the Final. The Finnish winger is probably not going to reach elite offensive totals over the next five years but he’ll be one of the most important pieces if the Avalanche are to challenge for another championship. His penalty-killing ability, physicality, and hockey sense allow the team to put him in basically any situation without worrying about the defensive end of the ice, freeing up the team’s more offensive players to drive the play.

With Lehkonen, Valeri Nichushkin, Josh Manson, Darren Helm, and Andrew Cogliano all brought back, the Avalanche will once again have a very impressive group to push for the Central Division crown and potentially another Stanley Cup.

West Notes: Blackhawks, Lehkonen, Labanc, Highmore

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Blackhawks welcomed one center back tonight but found themselves without another.  The team announced (Twitter link) that Tyler Johnson has been cleared from concussion protocol and activated off IR while Kirby Dach was a late scratch with a non-COVID illness.  It has been a tough first season in Chicago for Johnson after coming over from Tampa Bay as injuries have limited him to just 14 games where he has just a goal and two assists while averaging a career low in ice time at just 12:41 per night.  As for Dach, he has also had a quiet year offensively, notching 23 points in 63 games despite being a fixture in their top six.

Elsewhere around the Western Conference:

  • The wait is over when it comes to Artturi Lehkonen making his Colorado debut as the team announced (Twitter link) that the winger’s immigration has been approved, paving the way for him to suit up against Calgary on Tuesday. The 26-year-old was brought in at the trade deadline in exchange for prospect defenseman Justin Barron and a 2024 second-round pick and he’s expected to play a key role on the third line for the Avalanche down the stretch.  Lehkonen has 16 goals and 13 assists in 58 games this season.
  • The Sharks could get winger Kevin Labanc back at some point next week, notes Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News. The 26-year-old has been out since undergoing shoulder surgery back in mid-November.  It had been a disappointing season for Labanc prior to the injury as he had just three goals and three assists in 21 games and with San Jose ten points out of a playoff spot heading into Monday’s games, his return will be more about trying to rediscover his offensive form over helping a late playoff push.
  • Matthew Highmore’s upper-body injury will keep him out of Vancouver’s lineup on a week-to-week basis, relays Brendan Batchelor of Sportsnet 650 (Twitter link). The 26-year-old has 10 points in 39 games this season.  The Canucks recalled William Lockwood on an emergency basis last week to take Highmore’s spot but if they wanted to bring another player up for extra depth, they’d have to use one of their four post-deadline regular recalls.

Update On Artturi Lehkonen

at CDT | by 4 Comments

March 27: In advance of the Avalanche’s match tonight against the Minnesota Wild, The Athletic’s Peter Baugh issued an update on the immigration situation of newly-acquired Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen, who has yet to play a game for the team. Lehkonen is reportedly “still in a holding pattern” with regard to his immigration paperwork, and it is unclear if that will be resolved by the time the Avalanche take the ice against the Wild.

March 25: The Colorado Avalanche paid a significant price to acquire forward Artturi Lehkonen from the Montreal Canadiens on Monday’s trade deadline. They sent the Canadiens a 2024 second-round pick and defenseman Justin Barron, the team’s 2020 first-round pick. Avalanche GM Joe Sakic made the deal likely with the idea that Lehkonen would be able to help the team prepare for the playoffs and find chemistry on his new team as the Avalanche play to secure their playoff spot. But despite those hopes, it is unclear when Lehkonen, who is healthy, will be making his debut with the Avalanche. In his media availability today, Avalanche coach Jared Bednar stated that the process of securing Lehkonen a visa so he can play for the Avalanche is still ongoing, and until it’s completed, he can only practice with the team, and not play in their games. Adrian Dater of Colorado Hockey Now added that “as of this moment,” Lehkonen’s immigration paperwork was still incomplete.

While this development does not figure to do any real damage to the Avalanche’s ability to make the playoffs (they have a 100% chance of making the playoffs, per MoneyPuck.com) it does mean that the process of getting Lehkonen settled in the Avalanche lineup could be stalled until further notice. Part of the reason Lehkonen was such an attractive trade asset for the Avalanche was his versatility. He routinely played in many different situations and on many different lines in Montreal, and it’s with that versatility that Lehkonen could make a major impact on the makeup of the Avalanche lineup. But with the holding pattern the team finds itself in concerning Lehkonen’s immigration paperwork, finding the best fit for their prized acquisition before the playoffs begin could be more challenging.

But, as has been already mentioned, the Avalanche are under no serious threat to miss the playoffs. They currently sit first in the Central with a 45-14-5 record and have a fifteen-point lead over the second-place Minnesota Wild. But like many of the other contending teams, the Avalanche’s success this regular season was the basic expectation for their club. The players and the organization as a whole will be judged based on their playoff success, and that’s where this Lehkonen setback may be slightly more concerning. Lehkonen was highly effective in Montreal’s run to the Stanley Cup Final last season, as a crucial third wheel on the team’s Phillip Danault-centered shutdown line. Lehkonen had extensive experience playing with Danault and Brendan Gallagher before that, and by the time he was called into action to replace Tomas Tatar early in the Canadiens’ first-round series versus the Toronto Maple Leafs, he was able to hit the ground running. Getting that sort of player was seemingly Sakic’s goal in trading for the Finnish winger, but these immigration issues could prove to be a bit of a setback to fully integrating Lehkonen into Sakic’s juggernaut Avalanche squad.

Colorado Avalanche Acquire Artturi Lehkonen

at CDT | by 8 Comments

The Colorado Avalanche have acquired forward Artturi Lehkonen from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for a 2024 second-round pick and defense prospect Justin Barron, as originally reported by Kevin Weekes on ESPN’s Trade Deadline coverage and confirmed by TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.

Lehkonen is a gigantic addition to Colorado’s bottom six, especially as they deal with depth issues down the stretch caused by the injury to captain Gabriel Landeskog. In 58 games with Montreal this season, he’s scoring at a career-best pace, netting 13 goals and 16 assists for 29 points.

A veteran of almost 400 NHL games, the 26-year-old was the best defensive winger remaining on the trade market. He’s seeing a defensive zone start rate of higher than 50% for the first time since his rookie season, a sign of trust in his strong game. He adds to Colorado’s arsenal of defensively responsible wingers headlined by Valeri Nichushkin.

Lehkonen, who has a cap hit of $2.3MM, is a restricted free agent at the end of this season. Colorado acquired him at 50% salary retention and is only on the hook for $1.15MM.

For Montreal, though, this is a very respectable piece of work by new general manager Kent Hughes. Barron is a stellar prospect, drafted 25th overall in 2020. In his first full professional season, he played in his first two NHL games with Colorado this year and has 20 points in 43 games with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. He’s a candidate to get some NHL looks post-Deadline in Montreal.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top